Curtis Stone and Woodend staff picking fresh herbs at Woodend

Playa del Carmen●●●●

Woodend by Curtis Stone

Name: Woodend by Curtis Stone
Address: Carretera Cancún-tulum Km 51 At Maroma, A Belmond Hotel, Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen Quintana Roo 77710 Mexico, AW
Price range: Fine Dining
Rating: 5

★★★★★5.0 out of 5 · 9 reviews

upscale

australian

contemporary

Reservation

Photo: © TripAdvisor contributor via TripAdvisor

Woodend by Curtis Stone is a $$$$ australian & contemporary upscale restaurant in Playa del Carmen rated 5.0/5 by 9 TripAdvisor reviewers; reservations recommended.

About

Woodend by Curtis Stone sits inside Maroma, A Belmond Hotel, about halfway down the Riviera Maya coast between Playa del Carmen and Tulum. It's Curtis Stone's first resort restaurant in Mexico, and the nine reviews on file all landed at five stars across the board—food, service, atmosphere, value. That unanimity is rare at the fine-dining tier, where someone usually finds something to knock. The menu leans on open-fire cooking and local ingredients, though Stone's Australian background tends to show up in the technique. Expect a tasting format and a wine program to match. The setting is beachfront but contained—this isn't a place you wander into without a reservation. If you're staying at Maroma or willing to make the drive for a marquee chef dinner, it delivers on the promise. Just know the price level matches the pedigree.

At a glance

Area: Playa del Carmen
Vibe: upscale
Price: ●●●●
Reservation required: ✓
Kid friendly: –
Cuisine: australian
contemporary
seafood
Dietary options: —

Make a day of it

Tours & things to do nearby

Iberostar Golf Club Playa Paraiso

Iberostar Golf Club Playa Paraiso sits between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, about twenty minutes south of the airport. The 18-hole course runs along the coastline, designed by P.B. Dye with cenote-fed water hazards and ocean views on several holes. A 4.6 rating across 904 reviews puts it among the higher-rated courses in the Riviera Maya, which says something given how many resort golfers cycle through. The layout plays to different skill levels — front nine is more forgiving, back nine tightens up with forced carries and narrower fairways. Wind off the water is a factor most afternoons. The course is part of the Iberostar resort complex, so access is easiest if you're staying on property, though outside play is allowed with advance booking. Greens fees run higher than municipal courses but lower than some of the luxury resort tracks further north. Carts are included, caddies are optional. Tee times in the early morning or late afternoon avoid both the heat and the slower resort groups.

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Dressel Divers Cancún

Dressel Divers Cancún operates out of the Iberostar complex on the northern Hotel Zone coast, and the 4.9 rating across 59 reviews puts it among the highest-rated dive operators in the area. They run the standard corridor — reef dives off Punta Cancún, cenote trips inland, and the occasional Isla Mujeres crossing when conditions cooperate. The consistency shows up in the reviews: gear that works, guides who keep groups tight, and boats that leave on time. Most trips are half-day and include two tanks. If you're newly certified or haven't logged a dive in a while, the shallow reefs here are forgiving — vis runs 60 to 80 feet most of the year, and the current rarely fights you. The cenote runs require a drive and a site fee, but they're worth it if you want something other than coral and sergeant majors. Book directly or through the Iberostar concierge if you're staying on property.

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Photos

Chef Curtis Stone shucking oysters in Woodend

Steak from the wood-fired grill at Woodend

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Review summaries are AI-paraphrased from public traveler reviews.

Woodend by Curtis Stone