The Biggest Difference: Resort Layout and Size

This is often the deciding factor for families, and for good reason.

‍

Etéreo is compact and walkable. The resort has just 75 rooms across 8 buildings (all 4 stories high), and nothing is more than a few minutes' walk away. If you're traveling with a stroller or younger kids who tire easily, this is a major plus.

‍

Rosewood Mayakoba is much larger and spread out—with 129 rooms versus Etéreo's 75. You'll need bikes or golf carts to get around the property. Some families love this—it becomes a fun activity, and the kids enjoy the adventure of biking or carting around. Other families find it a bit tedious, especially when you realize mid-pool session that you grabbed the purple goggles but your daughter will only wear the pink ones today.

‍

Winner: Depends on your family. Walkability is easier with young kids, but older kids often love the bikes and golf carts.

‍

Room Setup: Who Has Better Family Accommodations?

‍Rosewood Mayakoba wins if door separation is important to you.

‍

The one-bedroom suites at Rosewood have a door between the bedroom and living room. Even better, the Deluxe Lagoon Suite (the most popular family option) has an extra hallway and half-bath that can be fully closed off and fit a crib. This means you can have a baby in one "room," adults in the master bedroom, older kids on the sleeper sofa in the living room—all with door separation between each group. And you'll still have full access to the master bedroom, closet, and outdoor patio with plunge pool while kids are sleeping.

‍

Etéreo's rooms are spacious and beautifully designed (they're newer—Etéreo opened in 2023 while Rosewood opened in 2008). However, you'll need to book a two-bedroom suite if you want a door separating the bedroom from the living room. The one-bedroom suites do have plenty of space, and they're happy to make the sofa into one or two beds for young kids (it doesn't pull out, but it's large enough to accommodate them).

‍

Views: All rooms at Etéreo except the ground-floor mangrove rooms have ocean views. At Rosewood, most rooms have lagoon views instead—still pretty, but if you're set on waking up to the ocean, Etéreo delivers.

‍

Winner: Rosewood for room layout flexibility, Etéreo for newer, more stylish rooms with ocean views.

‍

Food

Rosewood Mayakoba has more on-site restaurant variety—five restaurants plus multiple bars. If you like having lots of dining choices without leaving the property, this is the winner.

‍

That said, Etéreo only has two dinner restaurants, but they're both delicious. Plus, the hotel will happily drive you via golf cart to the neighboring Kanai resorts—The St. Regis and The Edition—for additional dining options.

‍

Pro tip from our stay at Rosewood: Book a babysitter one night and try the La Ceiba dinner, ideally early in your trip. Yes, it's a communal table, and yes, you'll be sitting with strangers—but we found it was a great way to meet other parents. We ended up seeing them around the resort the rest of the week, and the kids played together at the pool.

‍

Winner: Rosewood for variety, but Etéreo's quality is excellent (and you have nearby options).

‍

Pools

Rosewood's family pool was just renovated. It has a shallow baby pool next to a regular pool, and it's right next to the beach—making it super easy to hop back and forth. This is a big plus when you're dealing with the short attention spans of kids who want beach, then pool, then beach again.

‍

Etéreo's family pool has a gorgeous ocean view but is a couple minutes' walk from the beach and seating area. What we loved: the pool has several very shallow (6-inch deep) sections, perfect for babies and toddlers to safely splash around. There's also a baby pool and splash pad, though it's tucked around the corner from the family pool and not visible from pool chairs—so we didn't spend as much time there.

‍

Winner: Tie. Rosewood if beach-pool combo access matters, Etéreo if you want shallow areas for little ones.

‍

‍

Beach Activities

Neither beach is postcard-perfect, but both are calm and easy for kids to play in.

‍

Etéreo has beach soccer and volleyball.Both resorts offer kayaking and paddleboarding.

Kids Club & Babysitting

Babysitting is a tie—easy to arrange at both properties, with friendly and engaging sitters.

‍

Rosewood's kids club is larger and free (ages 4-12), which is a significant perk if you're planning to use it regularly.

‍

Etéreo's kids club requires an extra fee and is designed for ages 4-11. You can sign kids up for one activity (about 2 hours), a half day, or a full day.

‍

Winner: Rosewood for the free kids club.

‍

Service

Service is strong at both resorts, but it's slightly better at Rosewood. They're particularly good at anticipating needs and making celebrations feel special. The butler program at Rosewood has been perfected over many years—they're proactive and thoughtful.

‍

Etéreo's service is also excellent, though the resort is newer, so the butler program feels a bit less established.

‍

Winner: Rosewood, by a small margin.

‍

Other Amenities Worth Noting

Rosewood Mayakoba:

• Playground on-site
• Central market area (though it was quiet during our visit)
• Racket sports courts
• Eco-tour option with a biologist-guided boat tour
• Free daily nature boat tour for kids (book early—it fills up!)

Etéreo:

• Racket sports courts at the nearby Kanai Racket Club (you'll need a golf cart ride to access them)
• 10 minutes closer to the airport, if travel logistics matter
• Free professional family photo sessions (you only pay if you want to buy the photos)

‍

Age & Condition of the Properties

Both resorts are beautiful with lush landscaping. However, Etéreo is newer (opened in 2023 versus Rosewood's 2008), and it shows. Rooms feel more modern and fresh. Rosewood Mayakoba's rooms are a bit more dated (though still well-maintained and comfortable).

‍

Winner: Etéreo for newer facilities.

‍

The Bottom Line: Which One Should You Choose?

Choose Etéreo if:

• You want to walk everywhere (especially important with younger kids or strollers)
• Ocean views matter to you
• You prefer newer, more contemporary design
• You have babies or toddlers who'd benefit from very shallow pool areas
• Beach volleyball or soccer appeals to your family
• You want kids to eat free (kids 5 and under eat free, extended to 10 and under June-October)

Choose Rosewood Mayakoba if:

• Your kids would enjoy biking or golf carting around a large property
• You want maximum room layout flexibility with door separation
• A free kids club is important
• You're prioritizing top-tier service and anticipatory touches
• You want a pool steps from the beach
• Your kids would love a playground
• You want more restaurant variety on-site (5 restaurants vs 2)
• You're traveling with older kids who want more activities
• You want kids to eat free (kids 5 and under)

‍

Our Take

Honestly, you can't go wrong with either resort. Both delivered memorable family vacations for us. The choice really comes down to your family's specific needs: Do you value walkability and modern design, or do you want more space, more amenities, and slightly elevated service?

‍

Quick recap: If you have babies or toddlers, Etéreo's compact layout and ultra-shallow pools might edge it out. If you're traveling with older kids who'd enjoy biking around or if you want that top-tier butler service Rosewood is known for, Rosewood Mayakoba is the better pick.

‍

Whatever you choose, you're in for a wonderful family vacation in the Riviera Maya.