Anna Dreams has unveiled a brand-new all-inclusive resort in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico. It’s a gorgeous sprawling property south of the city and located on a pristine beach. Expectations were high and initial reviews of the resort are trickling in. Travelers are sharing a mix of glowing praise and a few growing pains.
We waited until fall to book our trip, assuming the early kinks would be ironed out. While some things have definitely improved, there are still some inconsistencies between the website and reality, along with reports of varied guest experiences.
Would I go back? Absolutely. Would I have loved a few heads-ups before going? Also yes. So, here’s my honest review of the new Dreams Estrella Del Mar in Mazatlán, Mexico—hope it helps you plan the perfect trip!
First Impressions
The resort is about 30 minutes south of the famous Malecon and raucous, bustling areas of Mazatlán, but an easy 10 minute ride from the tiny MZT airport. The drive to the resort feels isolated and rural because there’s just not much happening in the immediate area. It’s a lot of farm land and otherwise undeveloped. That’s not a complaint though, the region did feel very serene because of that.
Driving up to the property feels like discovering a verdant oasis—- the lush and tropical landscaping welcomes you to the expansive and beautifully designed, brand new Estrella Del Mar Dreams Resort
The staff cordially welcomes you with refreshments and warm towels as you get checked in. The lobby and bar are an open air concept that overlook the beach. Not only is it so relaxing, but from here you can easily spot dolphins playing in the surf, and it’s amazing. I was floored by how new and pristine everything is, of course, but also how chill it felt. The resort isn’t fully booked out yet, so there just aren’t many people wandering around.
Accommodations
The rooms are gorgeous – spacious and clean. They’re a great size for two people, but honestly, we would have been just as comfortable sharing with three or four. We booked an ocean view junior suite, and the view was perfect—even from the second floor. Thanks to the way the towers are built into the hillside, even the first-floor rooms sit elevated above the pool deck and beach, so it seems like every room has an incredible ocean view (despite the website making a distinction for “ocean view” rooms).
Some rooms even come with balcony tubs, which sounds like a dream—soaking in warm bubbles while watching the sun dip below the crashing waves? Sounds niiiice! The only downside? Many of these tubs are in clear view of the pool deck… as in, everyone can see you. But at least you control the water temp, unlike the resort’s hot tubs (more on that below).
If you’re eyeing one of the rooms with a “private pool,” just know that “private” is a bit of a stretch—you’re actually sharing it with all of the rooms on your floor. They are luxuriously concealed by cascading flowers. However, if you’re planning to fully embrace the unlimited drink service, keep in mind that poolside service is difficult for the staff to fulfill while you’re lounging in your semi-private pool. So unless you’re okay with trekking back and forth for refills, this setup might be more of a hassle than a perk.
Pools and Amenities
One thing that really stood out in the new Estrella Del Mar, Dreams resort is the water amenities. The 3-story water slides are seriously rad. One slide is open, another is fully enclosed closed and starts with a steep drop and windy curves- its like the Space Mountain of water slides and it was actually sick.
Adults can use the slides as well, but the pool at the bottom is shallow and small. As an average sized female, I hit my back on the bottom of the pool coming out of the slide. The edges of the pool are padded for this reason, just be warned!
Now, the lazy river? Absolute gem. This is such a fun and unique feature for the resort. It’s long, winding, and even takes you through a cave and under the water slide. There are multiple entry and exit points along the way, making it super convenient. Bonus points for the resort providing full-length floaties—big enough to rest your head and kick your feet up properly. Many people also bring their own floats to the resort. A full lap takes about 25 minutes, and it’s calm enough to sip a margarita while you drift along. So chill.
Lounge Areas & Cabanas
The resort offers some cool lounge spaces, but be prepared to pay extra for most of them.
- The fire pit lounge (fits about 10 people) is a nice touch, Unfortunately you have to pay to use it. The pricing isn’t very clear, but the staff informed us that it costs about 100$ per night. …Feels exorbitant.
- Around the pool deck, there are several private cabanas available for rent. The La Isla cabana even has its own private pool. We couldn’t find the prices listed anywhere online, but staff mentioned they go for about $300 per day—a hefty price for extra shade and some exclusivity.
- The Preferred Club cabanas open directly onto the Preferred Club pool with swim up bar.
- On top of that, even the poolside lounge beds come with an additional fee.
That said, since the resort isn’t operating at full capacity yet, the pool area stays pretty uncrowded, and free lounge chairs are usually available—yet the fees did seem unnecessary for an all-inclusive resort.
Pools & Swim-Up Bars
The pools here are well-designed, with some really nice touches. Each one has shallow lounging areas around the edges—just two inches deep, perfect for partially submerged lounge chairs. And let me tell you, it is niiiice.
This shallow zone is used to make a barrier between the shallow kids pool (about 2 ft, for young kids) and the deeper area (children are still allowed). But just so you know—both sections are physically connected and share the same water… IYKYK.
Then there’s another separate pool that features a swim-up bar and a stunning drop-off view toward the beach. However—the swim-up bars aren’t open yet. You can still get drinks served while you’re in the pool, but there are no bartenders stationed in the bar pit. My guess? They’ll open once the resort reaches higher occupancy.
As for the adults-only pool, it’s technically reserved for Preferred Club guests, though the website isn’t exactly clear about this. TBH… I swam there and no one stopped me, so 🤷♀️. Who knows how long that will last?
An important note about the pools:
If you’re planning a trip in the winter months, here’s an important heads-up: the pool water is chilly.
I went in November, and the mornings were warm, and the sun was strong, but the pools never really warmed up. By the afternoon, the wind picks up—we’re talking strong enough to blow over umbrellas—so it wasn’t exactly comfortable to hang out in the pools after 2-3 PM. Most people migrated to the jacuzzis by then.
The resort does have the capability to heat the pools, but during my stay, they just…weren’t heated—maybe it was too early in the “winter season.” Hopefully, that changes as the season progresses. If you’re visiting in the cooler months, I’d definitely ask the staff about pool temps ahead of time.
Speaking of jacuzzis: the in-ground jacuzzi wasn’t heated for a few days during my visit. So, it wasn’t comfortable. It took multiple requests (pleas) for the staff to fix it, but they did eventually sort it out. Just something to be aware of! There was also some confusion about the jacuzzi’s: the in-ground jacuzzi may be for the preferred club members, but that isn’t clear and wasn’t strictly enforced. The staff was (sometimes) enforcing a no-kids-in-the-hot-tub rule, but it wasn’t consistently mandated. I wasn’t traveling with any children, but I noticed that the lack of consistency caused some friction for other travelers.
Events & Entertainment
During our week at the resort, we caught a variety of live performances that were part of the themed dinner nights.While the resort has a main theater with a permanent stage, it wasn’t open yet during our stay. Instead, the shows were held on a makeshift stage assembled the same day.
One of the standout performances was La Noche Mexicana, a showcase of traditional dance, music, and imagery from different regions of Mexico. Right now, it’s set up on the patio near the Portofino restaurant. The only awkward part is the tables are set up in the main walkway, so there was some foot traffic meandering around our table. It made things feel a little crowded, but otherwise it was OK.
The dinner served was a gigantic buffet of traditional Mexican dishes, and a variety of grilled meats and regional flavors. While the selection was impressive, the overall quality was just okay, it was not as good as the permanent restaurants.
For Thanksgiving night, the resort went all out with another buffet-style dinner served on the pool deck. It was really pretty!. This one was even more impressive, featuring several roast turkeys, an outrageous salad bar, Mexican shooters on draft (plus a full bar), and an endless spread of top-notch desserts. The entertainment for the night was a dance and music performance and aerial acrobats. It was held on a temporary stage around the pool and the acrobats even set up their rigging in the pool, which was a unique and unexpected touch.
Overall, the entertainment was solid however, it wasn’t as extensive/lit as other all inclusive resorts that we’ve visited. It felt like the nightlife was a little lacking , but once the main theater officially opens, I expect the entertainment at the Dreams in Mazatlán will catch up to the high standards of the franchise.
Other activities offered during the day were a fairly typical spread of pool sports: volleyball, water aerobics, and races.
Daytime Activities
The resort offers a fairly standard lineup of poolside activities, like volleyball, water aerobics, and sandcastle contests, but there were a few unique experiences that stood out:
- Craft Cocktail Class 🍹 – A fun, hands-on course where you can learn to mix up something beyond your basic margarita.
- Ceviche Lessons 🐟 – A regional specialty in Mazatlán where the cuisine is heavily impacted by the fishing industry. Mazatlán has its own distinct style of ceviche and seafood dishes.
- Human Bowling 🎳 – Yep, exactly what it sounds like. You climb inside a giant inflatable beach ball and roll yourself toward oversized pins. Honestly, pretty fun!
Food & Dining
Overall, the food at Dreams- Estrella Del Mar was very good. The food quality of resorts can vary considerably, but is such a big part of the experience. I’ll include a detailed review of the bars and restaurants separately (because there’s a lot to say).
The service was great, and the staff was friendly and attentive. But let’s talk about one of the biggest standouts: the sprawling, endless breakfast buffet.
Honestly, it exceeded my expectations. There was so much variety and the food was quality was surprisingly high for an all-inclusive (some are very meh). The highlights?
- Breakfast sandwiches made with sugared donuts—yes, these alone were worth the trip.
- Roasted meats—freshly carved and options rotated daily.
- Made to order crepes with fresh, local fruits.
- Veggie dishes rotated daily AND were super fresh and flavorful. Made binging feel ok.
- Unlimited mimosas, ok to hold the OJ.
If you’re a breakfast person, you’re in for a treat!
Meraki asian fusion restaurant was by far the best restaurant at this Dreams in Mazatlan— While Dreams resorts tend to have a standard lineup of restaurants across their properties (like Oceana, which you’ll find at every Dreams), Meraki was a first for us—and WOW it was worth the trip. I would live in this restaurant if they let me.
A few of the bars weren’t open or fully operational. A few bars weren’t fully operational, which was a little disappointing.
- The swim-up bars? Technically there—but not staffed. You can still get drinks while in the pool, as the servers will hand them to you, but if you’re expecting full swim-up service, it’s not quite there yet.
- Barracudas, the beachfront bar, wasn’t open at all during our stay. Honestly, kind of a bummer because it looks beautiful online.
That being said, the staff hustled hard and no one went thirsty. However, this was a big discrepancy between the website and what we experienced.
Stay tuned for the full restaurant and bar breakdown. 🍽️✨
The Beach and Surrounding area
This beach is soo pristine. Since the Estrella Del Mar Dreams is part of a brand-new development, it still feels untouched and secluded—about 30 minutes south of the main Mazatlán area and port. With the surrounding land still undeveloped, the vibe is quiet, calm, and almost private, with only a handful of other hotel guests wandering the shore.
The sand is so soft!! No rocks, no shells, zero trash—just some curious crabs scuttling along dodging your footsteps. But while it looks picture-perfect, the ocean itself is no joke. The waves were choppy (3-5 ft) and strong for most of the day, with rip currents possible. The hotel had a danger flag up almost the entire time, and there wasn’t a lifeguard on duty. If you’re traveling with kids or inexperienced swimmers, this is definitely something to be aware of.
Some guests have complained that the beach feels too “undeveloped” because of the natural sand berms that slightly obstruct the ocean view from the resort’s lounge chairs. Honestly? Not a big deal. You can just move the chairs closer to the water if it bothers you. Plus, these berms actually help maintain the health of the beach, so it’s great that the resort has kept things natural instead of over-managing the landscape.
All in all, if you’re looking for a crowd-free, peaceful stretch of sand, this place delivers. Just be careful trying to swim in the ocean.
Final thoughts
Dreams Estrella Del Mar in Mazatlan is a gorgeous new resort that strikes a careful balance between pristine surroundings but proximity to a lively urban center. While the resort is shaking off some growing pains, it is providing exceptional value in terms of the property, food, and amenities. I would certainly go again. Are you planning a trip to Mazatlan? Have you stayed at the new Dreams resort? Drop a comment to share your questions and experiences, I would love to hear from you!
