Let me start by saying that we are Mayan Palace owners and have been to most of the Mayan Palace locations. We are satisfied with our timeshare purchase because, when we go, we know it will be a high quality resort. We started out with the AI (all-inclusive) experience and it just didn't suit us. Understand that Mayan Palace needs to sell timeshares to keep growing. If you aren't interested, say no to all presentations. The sales people will give misleading information. Just ask to see, in print, everything they tell you. If they refuse, walk away. As owners, they give us the best rooms. Ours had a pool/ocean view. It was certainly large enough for the two of us however we used the second bedroom as a closet. It would be an OK bedroom for young children but too cramped for adults. The maid service was great however we tip $5 every day. Amazing what that does for service!
I read extensively about Mazatlan before the trip and it didn't disappoint. It is a great city with a mix of tourism and real working industry. We rode the bus everywhere and had no worries about safety. Many good restaurants in particular Casa Country and Pedro y Lola in the old city. We spent the second of our two weeks in the new Mayan Regency building at the same location. The master suite was huge for the two of us - almost too large, like the Grand Mayan. We would certainly go back to the Sea Garden, just have to understand that it is older than other Mayan's but is as clean and perhaps more cozy.

My cousin and I just returned from a week at the Mayan Sea Garden. We booked thru RCI. After reading the reviews on this site I wasn't sure what to expect. I had prearranged shuttle service thru the resort to pick us up at the airport and they were there waiting for us. The Sea Garden was not a brand new resort but still very nice and comfortable. The grounds were gorgeous and well kept. The pool area was large with plenty of lounge chairs around the pool. We had a one bedroom suite with a partial kitchen in the Coral Building. I brought a small electric tea kettle and my own tea bags and was glad I did. They provide a coffee maker but no coffee. My cousin brought her own coffe from home. We also brought from home instant hot cereal, microwave popcorn for the room, and granola bars to put in our purse for downtown and on the airplane. The onsite market is very small and does not have a large selection. We made a trip to the Mega supermarket (Mexican Superstore) for a few items like fresh fruit, pastries and bererages. Bus down, pulmonia back. The room was a bit small but comfortable. We did not have any problems with anything in our room. The balcony was small as well but the pool/ocean view was lovely. The resort staff were all friendly and worked hard to maintain the grounds and the buildings. Ask them about places to eat and shop. The pulmonias (open air taxis--looks like a large golf cart) are everywhere, so there is no problem getting transportation. We opted to take the city bus which stops right outside the resort. The white bus is 6 pesos (60 cents) and the green bus is 8 pesos (80 cents) and is very easy and safe to take. Yes, there are vendors and timeshare sharks everywhere. Just say a firm No Gracias and keep walking, no eye contact! Just like anywhere, you get more flies with honey than with vinegar. If you act stuck up and look down your nose at people you are not going to get as good service. If you are friendly and try to learn a little of the language the Mexican people will bend over backwards for you. The resort automatically adds a 15% tip on any food item you buy, even a can of coke. That saved us the hassel of trying to figure out what a fair tip was. Don't be afraid to negotiate when buying things. Cut the price to just below half so it leaves you some room to meet the vendor in the middle. Alot of the silver jewlery sold on the beach or in outdoor markets is only silver plated even though they tell you it is real silver. It was my first time in Mexico and I really enjoyed it. How much you enjoy your vacation depends on you. For 2 women travellilng alone we took the usual precautions and we felt safe. Even tho we did buy bottled water we still drank the water at the resort restaurant and had no problems. Take acidophilus capsules for a week or so before you go. We ate at the Shrimp bucket and the Chilli Pepper and coffee at Ricco's (like a Star Bucks), food and service were good. I liked the fact the resort was not right in the Golden Zone, it was quiet and peaceful. I would definitely stay at the Sea Garden again.

I'm a frequent traveler and I've visit a lot of resort, hotels, RV parks and many others, but NEVER been so UNCOMFORTABLE as when i staid in MAYAN SEA GARDEN MAZATLAN.
It has a VERY BAD attention to every one of your needs, they even can be RUDE, only 25% of rooms has ocean view all rest has park yard view, if you are traveling with family, rooms could be smaller and less comfortable that you think, bad odor when you arrive to the room is really a bad sign, plumber installation really bad, if you're thinking to take a bath tube shower be prepared to a dinning room shower to, cause drain may cause a flow.
If you have any vehicle, own or rental forget the night life at least you are agree to park out side the resort into a lot for construction.
Food is not so bad, if you are in weight reduction plan.
Pools are good
So BEWARE to stay in.

We had a very nice Mazatlan vacation at the Mayan Sea Garden. The resort is right on the beach with palapas, drink service, and activities. There are two swimming pools of moderate depth, so that is great for kids and fun for adults. The grounds were kept very nice with lawns and tropical plants. We did not eat at the on-site restaurant, but went to their little store many times for a wide variety of food; fruit, some vegetables, tortillas, chips, salsa, beer, etc... They also had an afternoon BBQ grill going where you could buy grilled chicken or beef w/torillas. The unit we stayed in had a sink, a little stove, and fridge, which was perfect for us.
On the down-side, we were apparently staying in the older portion of the resort so our 4th floor unit did not have an elevator but did have a view of the Pacific Ocean. We got used to walking up the stairs...
Also, we were contacted everyday about attending the "Welcome Breakfast", which we knew would be a time share pitch, until we finally gave in. It was a pitch... I later talked to a guy that knew about a "No Timeshare" T-shirt he could get from cafepress.com and I think I'll get one of those for my next trip.
Overall, it was a good place to stay. We walked on the beach a lot. The surf was quite rough for swimming but excellent to watch from the beach and for wading. The taxi (or pulmonia) was only about $12 to the Zona Dorada or the Malecon; the local bus was 8 pesos (80 cents) each...
Have a great time...