Sam Nguyen

The service and location are luxurious as the people are very nice. The food was great and the employees were very friendly and welcoming. However, our room had some problems like things that not working. For example, the safe lock didn’t work, the phone line is non-functional, there was no shampoo dispenser, and the outlets don’t work properly.

Eric Best

The First Club rooms leave a lot to be desired. Not nearly as nice as we had been promised/ told. The rooms smelled musty, the water pressure was very low and the bed was very, very hard. Not comfortable at all. The food is ok. The Italian reservation restaurant was great. The Mexican reservation restaurant was good. All the buffet food that was supposed to be hot, wasn’t. The food that was supposed to be cool, wasn’t. The Buffet food was basically ambient temperature. The drinks in the first club were great. The hospitality in the first club was great. The beach is beautiful and the weather was perfect. The arrival and departure were a disaster. We had prearranged transportation to and from the airport through the resort. We waited nearly an hour for the shuttle to pick us up for transport to the resort. The departure shuttle was over 15 minutes late and we were forced to rent a taxi to get to the airport. Of course, there are no names or other contact information available for us to follow up so we’re stuck paying an extra $175 to get to the airport. All in all, I simply cannot recommend this resort. The negative experiences outweigh the positive.

morgan davis

We just returned from our second stay at Allegro Playacar. The resort is small, easy to navigate and, during our winter stays, never felt crowded. The grounds are well maintained, the pools are clean and the beach is awesome! Now the rooms…. They are kept clean, but they are a bit worn. Between us and other friends/family that traveled with this time we had four rooms. Two rooms complained of no hot water. Ours did work well. We had them replace our shower head because it merely trickled water. Out bathroom doorknob was also broken which resulted in a fun “locked in the bathroom screaming out the little window for help until a maid came to my rescue” vacation story.😅 and the toilet did not flush at all. These items were reported and fixed the same day. We had three people staying in our room and multiple days were only left stocked with two bath towels and short on water bottles. Finally, they do not provide a single wash cloth… To clarify, if requested, they are quick to accommodate. (But nobody wants to be the “complainer “) A couple other notes on rooms. They do not cool very well when it’s really hot outside. Especially the upper levels. The units are working, the buildings are just not insulated and have grass roofs. All that being said, our biggest shout out is to the incredible service staff at this resort. Regardless of any complications that you have in your travels or accommodations, They will put a smile on your face. If they don’t, it’s because you’re a bad person and should get therapy! 😆 A few names that became close to us over the week: Humberto, Ricardo, Luis, Jhonny, Ana. So many countless others that really go above and beyond to be perfect hosts in whatever their position. They are truly what makes this resort shine! Thank you so much! Morgan, Robin & Kayley from Minnesota

Michael Szewczyk

Fantastic service, great food - especially the Mexican a la carte, and a wonderful beach (especially compared to neighbouring resorts). Rooms were clean, in need of a reno but that is planned for 2025 or 2026. Beds were comfortable, towels were soft to the touch.

MARIA JEWEL PATTERSON

Coming here, I already mentally prepared my mind to the lowest expectation based on the money I paid during the December holiday high season. I even booked the cheapest room. Surprisingly, my husband and I fell in love with this place!!! We might even make this our holiday home base. Knowing what we are getting into, I bought my own sun shelter tent (life saver for sure since their loungers are a mile away from the beach- they do have the best beach in the area though). The wait staff kept giving us drinks inside our tent!!! That alone made our stay super duper awesome!!! Uber Eats is super efficient and fast!!! We ordered several Uber Eats and picnic right on the beach in our cozy little tent (food sucks and there's line to get in the buffet). As for the room, it's comfortable. I do love the hammock!!!! We didn't have any issue with the AC. I also know they don't have hot water for the shower- and yes that is accurate for us too. There are stains in the curtain. We didn't really spend a lot of time in the bedroom since we basically camped out by the beach all day! We also biked the area- there's a shopping mall a few walk down the street who rents bikes. I love this resort due to the value and beach!!! If you're planning to spend a lot time in the bedroom, you will not like this place. If you're a foodie and expect to have gourmet meal- try other high end resorts instead. For reference, we got room 3414!!! Thanks to my Filipino staff who checked us in- you're awesome!!! See you again soon.

NautiMI On the River

We absolutely love this resort and are proud to be members. The entertainment at the adult pool, including Abril and the entire team, are so good and keep the energy going all day. Maria from the Royal Elite team does w Eryn g she can to make our stay excellent every time we come back. The food is varied and always good. Our favorite is the Italian restaurant and the singer who serenades during dinner is top notch- beautiful voice and presence! The rooms could use some updating but since you’re never in them, it’s not a big deal.

Lydia Lo Manto

Edgar is an excellent waiter! He explained the meals in detail when we asked questions about the menu, he constantly came to our table to make sure that we had everything we needed. This is our first time here and the staff were very inviting and made us feel comfortable. Bety helped us with our reservations, we had a few extra people that we did not include when booking the reservation and she graciously made last minute arrangements so that our family could sit together... I highly recommend this restaurant with excellent service, food and staff...

C Solis

Mendoza from the main buffet did an excellent job. Mendoza was our preferred waiter at the main buffet. Always attentive and full of enthusiasm. A really hard working man. Good job buddy! Maria in at the Elite beach area had always a smile on her face. She will get you whatever your needs are for your accommodation. Ask for her if you are staying in Sandos Playacar in the Elite area.

Anthony Carvajal

Our favorite restaurant was the French place Let Gourmet. Karen and Roberto were our usual servers and they were always very pleasant and accommodating for my two young kids. I told all my family to come here to eat because the service was always over the top! The red chilaquiles was my go to breakfast choice.

Erin Brothers

Sam with animation was great! She was always lively and got everyone engaged in her activities!! This resort is fun! The food and drinks are great! The only down fall is that they ask everyone to use an app to remake dinner reservations, look at the activities and the map of the resort but they do not offer WiFi in your room. So if you are trying to make dinner reservations while relaxing in your room, don’t even bother. Otherwise, everything has been great!

Madelyn Greco (World Champion Bodypaint)

Wonderful Winter Getaway - Royal Hideaway Playacar We came with a travel group who booked the resort in its entire capacity, so many of the guests were friends already or had a least been on vacations together before. This resort is a standout for it's exemplary service, fantastic cuisine across diverse dining options, gorgeous white-sand beach and spacious, lovely suites with private concierge service. The resort boasts beautiful bars, pools, hot tubs and lush landscaping as well, so traversing the property is a joy. We were delighted with the care taken in catering to us, to ensure our stay was comfortable. 100% recommend. As a group, we came in with our own entertainers, DJ's, etc. so I cannot speak to the usual entertainment offered by the resort. We were however thoroughly impressed by all aspects. 100% recommend.

William Edmonds

Third time at Royal Hideaway, but we won’t be coming back. It seems that, since COVID, the quality of this resort has gone far downhill. First, the pros. The rooms are very nice and classy. The dinners range from good (Spices) to excellent (Ventanas). And the staff are almost universally friendly. The problem is that the negatives have gotten to far outweigh the positives. Our room door wouldn’t shut completely (and wouldn’t lock at all). We notified our concierge on the first day and nothing was ever done throughout our five-day stay. This was the first time where we couldn’t reach anyone on the phone because the resort was so understaffed. There were some very violent and loud guests in our villa and we couldn’t get through to the front desk to ask for security. Less crucially, but still annoyingly, we couldn’t even get through to room service in the morning. On our previous stays, we had fresh-squeezed juice each morning (orange and grapefruit). Now, they serve sugary artificial juice. Breakfast and lunch were very hit-or-miss. They felt like reheated/microwaved meals. For example, we were served chile rellenos with cold sticks of cheese in the center. We asked for them to be reheated and they came back out exactly the same. We just left at that point. No hot tubs were functional (all room temperature) and several pools were out of service. There were other small things as well - but our general feeling is that Royal Hideaway cut costs during the pandemic and is no longer a “luxury” experience. It also appears that most responses to these reviews are AI-generated.

Alessandra Nardi

We stayed at RH for our honeymoon and it was lovely. Very relaxing and beautiful resort. The staff is very nice and the food is good. The Azia restaurant was our favourite, and Joshua from the entertainment team was great. He made our stay fun and felt like we had a friend on the resort. The beach is beautiful. Would recommend to anyone looking for a relaxing vacation in Mexico!

Tina

5/5 all around. My first all-inclusive experience and had such a wonderful time. Genuinely loved all facilities, all restaurants, all amenities. Room was clean and the king size bed was so comfy; AC worked great! The netflix app on the TV didn’t work but we brought a HDMI cord and a laptop so we can watch movies. Wifi stable and strong in the rooms and in restaurants. Wifi is not as strong on the beach. My favorite restaurant was Spices (ask for their spicy habanero sauce!); we also loved Azia and the Grill. Mostly we loved the beach. There were a lot of chairs, super clean, with towel service and shade covers for the sun. You can order drinks and food, or you can step away to enjoy the buffet lunch at The Deck. Thank you so much, we had such a lovely stay. PS: canadian friends can book cancun airport shuttle with Canadian Transfer. We highly recommend them. The hotel doesnt provide airport transportation.

Victoria K

I want to give this a higher rating as the people and service was impeccable. Unfortunately the rooms and facilities are showing a great deal of wear and tear. You can see through the paint to darker colors, lots of patching that leaves pumps, the buildings that house the rooms need a good update. The grounds are beautiful. Worth the money but don’t expect a 5 star resort as far as facilities. The Mexican show on Saturday was fun but they don’t publicize it and hardly anyone knew about it. Could have been a lot fuller. The people are incredible from the front desk to room service, to concierge. They all seem happy to serve. Ricky was a friendly concierge. Reya’s Lopez was so sweet when she cleaned the room. She was diligent. Fernando at the front desk. David, another concierge. All great people!

Dr. Yousef Dabaja

I recently stayed at Playacar Palace in Playa del Carmen, and while the resort had its highlights, there were several areas where it fell short of expectations. Pros: The location is undoubtedly one of the best features of this resort. Situated right next to the dock, it offers convenient access to ferries headed to the island of Cozumel. Additionally, it’s perfectly positioned on the bustling tourist strip, making it easy to explore shops and local attractions. The beach is stunning—clean, soft sands, and ideal for a daytime stroll. The café at the resort was another standout feature. The workers there were exceptional, and the coffee and treats were consistently a delight. Cons: Unfortunately, the food was underwhelming. While the restaurants were decent, they leaned heavily into a “fine dining” concept that didn’t quite hit the mark. Simplifying the menu and focusing on delivering high-quality, approachable dishes would significantly improve the experience. The buffet was extremely limited, and the lack of vegetarian and pescatarian-friendly options was disappointing. Service was inconsistent. While the staff was generally nice, they didn’t match the exceptional service I’ve experienced at other Palace Resorts. Service at the pool deck, in particular, was notably poor. Adding to the frustrations, the pool itself was not heated properly, and the Jacuzzi was lukewarm, making swimming less enjoyable. Another major drawback was a persistent beeping noise coming from under our room on the first night. The issue took two days to address, leaving us unable to sleep during that time. Lastly, the resort lacked on-site activities. Aside from swimming, there wasn’t much else to do, which was disappointing for a property of this caliber. Conclusion: While Playacar Palace has an excellent location and a beautiful beach, it struggles in terms of service, dining, and amenities. For the price and reputation of the Palace Resorts brand, I expected more. If the resort focused on improving its food options, service, and attention to detail, it could be a truly standout destination. For now, it’s a decent choice for those prioritizing location and beach access, but it falls short of being a truly memorable stay.

Lon Southerland

An Unforgettable Stay at Playacar Palace Hotel for Our Family Wedding We recently stayed at the Playacar Palace Hotel in Playa del Carmen for our son and daughter-in-law’s wedding, and it was a wonderful experience. The staff was incredibly inviting, kind, and engaging, making us feel right at home from the moment we arrived. The food was excellent—we thoroughly enjoyed every meal—and the entertainment added a nice touch to our evenings. Starting our day with a great cup of coffee from the lobby’s coffee shop became a delightful routine. Alan, the barista there every day, was amazing. He was very friendly and took great care to ensure our beverages were exactly how we liked them. Also gave us some great tips on the area!! We appreciated his warm conversation and exceptional service. The beach was beautiful with calm, clear water every day of our stay. There was plenty of room at the pool, and we had fun participating in the various activities around the pool area. The overall atmosphere was relaxing yet lively. I would definitely recommend the Playacar Palace Hotel if you are considering a stay in Playa del Carmen. The combination of excellent service, beautiful surroundings, and engaging activities made for an unforgettable experience. We’ll definitely be back!

Greg Hardwick

After having visited Xcaret 2 years previous, this resort seems a little small. Had we come here BEFORE Xcaret, perhaps our expectations might have been different. Unfair comparison because it is nice! The resort, although small, is pretty. For teenagers it might be somewhat boring unless they love the beach. In all honesty, the service at Playacar Palace is exceptional and the property is very well maintained. Would we come here again? I’d consider it. I think the location is wonderful, and would be a great option if you were coming here as a couple looking to relax, or perhaps with very small kids as the pool is not deep at all, and there seems to be decent services for little kids. But if you have teenagers that are close to entering adulthood, this may not be the resort for you.

Marco Miguel

Our best all-inclusive destination experience. Staff was impeccable. Restaurants were excellent, on service, quality and variety. They made all necessary accomodations for dietary restrictions, without sacrificing taste or quality. Special kudos to the staff at the Cafe El Mar (David, Estefannia, Sotero, Paola, Giovanni Fabiola, Alexander) and Trattoria (Ricardo, Nayel, Andrea, Deicev, Luis, Jesús, Kevin, Domingo, Enrique and Karla)

LMS

RUN AWAY!!!! These people are extremely nice and helpful upon arrival, however if you refuse to buy their timeshare package, everything changes. Julio, and Karen, both managers were not only unhelpful, but they laughed at us when we communicated several frustrating issues. Cockroaches, hair in food, constant text messages pressuring my family to purchase their timeshare, and airport shuttle confusion went unresolved. We came as a group of 11 people and each person is agreeing to this review. Food is mediocre at best, and if you do choose to book accommodation here, be prepared to be buckle and dimed TO DEATH! No food by the pool, poor pool service regardless of band color (ours were black), and the gift shop credits they tout are only applicable for select cologne, sunglasses, and nothing else. BOOK AT YOUR OWN RISK!