Desire Riviera Maya is Original Group's first clothing-optional resort and the older sibling to Desire Pearl. Set on the same Puerto Morelos coastline as Pearl but built out a few years earlier, Riviera Maya is the larger of the two Desire properties (113 rooms vs Pearl's 88) and carries the louder, more social atmosphere of the two.
The original couples-only Mexican clothing-optional resort
When Original Group opened Desire Riviera Maya, the only comparable property in the Western Hemisphere was Hedonism II in Jamaica. Desire Riviera Maya proved out the couples-only clothing-optional category in Mexico, paved the way for Pearl, and seeded the Desire Cruises business that launched in 2008. The on-property brand language — Playroom, sensual workshops, theme nights — was developed here first.
Who Riviera Maya is for
Riviera Maya draws a slightly younger and more social crowd than Pearl. Couples in their 30s and 40s dominate; the resort's larger footprint, multiple pools, and bigger disco support more group socializing than Pearl's quieter boutique scale. Returning guests often book Riviera Maya for celebration trips and Pearl for anniversary trips.
Accommodations
Room types range from garden-view standard rooms up through oceanfront suites and villas with private plunge pools. The villas — set slightly back from the main resort — are popular with groups of couples traveling together.
The Playroom
Riviera Maya's Playroom predates Pearl's and is the model the Original Group rolled out to every subsequent Desire property. Couples-only adult-play space available evenings, with the same consent-and-discretion culture as Pearl. The resort's location-specific add: a rooftop clothing-optional area with day-beds that's popular for daytime privacy.
How Riviera Maya compares
Against Pearl, Riviera Maya is larger, more social, and lower-priced per night. Against Hedonism II, Riviera Maya is newer, smaller, couples-only strict (no Prude side), and a shorter flight for US guests via Cancún. Against Temptation Cancun, Riviera Maya is fully clothing-optional and couples-only — Temptation is topless-only and welcomes singles.