Playacar Holidays

Emke Schoonewille

Absolutely Amazing Holiday Wow, what an incredible hotel! From the moment we arrived, everything was just amazing – the staff, the atmosphere, the entertainment... it was all top-notch! Special shoutout to Rene, the entertainment manager – this guy is an absolute legend! He was always around, checking in on everyone, making sure we were having the best time. Honestly, he felt more like the hotel manager to us 😁 give this man a promotion! The rooms are like cozy little cabins, tucked away in nature, making you feel like you're living in a real jungle paradise – complete with wildlife! Super unique and relaxing. The food was tasty and varied, with a different buffet theme every night. Always something new to try! If I had to mention one small improvement, it would be the shower, but honestly, it’s a tiny detail compared to the overall experience we had. And don’t miss the Michael Jackson show hands down the best we’ve ever seen! Can’t wait to come back – thanks for the unforgettable memories!

Jailynn R.

This is the most honest review you’ll get because the reviews are so mixed. I realized the reviews are high because a lotttttt of locals stay here so of course this is amazing to them. The resort itself is beautiful all the pictures are accurate. The staff is kind, pays attention, and most importantly always makes sure your drink is filled. The food is really awful. If you’re American I wouldn’t advise you to stay here for this reason. A lot of days we found 1-3 things that were edible and ate that the whole time. The food they offer throughout the day… popcorn burnt, pizza is horrible, and only strawberry ice cream. Our last day we just ate a bunch of bread, water, and steak from the hot grill. They do have the fancy restaurants which we did not have a chance to go to as everyday you have to walk to the lobby and make a reservation by 9:30am it is not automatically booked nor do they care that they said it would come with your stay. All in all we booked this 8 months ago and the price was $100 a night if you have to pay more than that go somewhere else, seriously!!

Azam Hosein

Our group was 6 adults and we had booked 3 superior premium rooms. Got to the hotel at 1 p.m and checked with Javier. Was told the sanitation tax is 238 pesos or 20US for length of stay per room. Found out after that the 238 pesos equals 14US as the hotel exchange rate was 16.50 pesos to 1US. Pointed this out to them 1 day later and 6US was refunded with an apology. Pesos fluctuate daily and the hotel gives the lowest exchange rate . Suggest you travel with some pesos to avoid this or go to an exchange booth outside the hotel and change currency. We requested 6 wks prior travel that rooms be in the same building. Was given rooms in 3 separate buildings but close by. All 3 buildings were closest to the beach and the stench from the sargussum just sitting on the shore for days was just disgusting. For 7 days we were there, no one could go into the water. The sargussum looked like sewer floating in the water. By the 3rd day, the stench was inside the room. We could not even sit on the balcony and enjoy the view. The nightly entertainment was quite good. Food in the buffet was same everyday, some recycled from the meal before BUT was very tasty and well seasoned. At this resort, we found English to be a challenge in the different areas plus the staff to be unfriendly. Shout out to Honey, Humberto in the restaurant and the head chef. They made us feel welcomed. Resort could definitely do with some reno especially the rooms. Main buffet has NO AC, so very uncomfortable eating in the heat. If you want to eat in the a la carte, suggest you book it on arrival day or you'll be told NO Space available. Definitely will not stay here again !!

Salvatore Candela

The location was perfect and magical with all the rooms being super clean and perfect. The pool ladies were super friendly and overall the activities were just wow. Two major disappointments. - the food was poor and repetitive everyday with the same options. Many food items were reheated and put back from one lunch to another. The food lacked in taste, and I often couldn’t eat it as it wasn’t fresh. I reccmend to change and look into getting better food. - the waiters: a few of them treated us like cash machines, one even said in my face, no propina no cafe, and only because I ordered a cappuccino e refused to drink that watered coffee they were serving with the carafes. We got into arguments with them a few times. We could see how Spanish / Latinos customers were treated and although occasionally we were leaving tips to the better deserving ones we were still treated like scam. In the end they refused to serve us cappuccino in the morning and they invinted the machine was broken. When I raised my voice over the table to tell them they only serve if there is a tip, magically my cappuccino appeared on the table. This is not 5 star service. You can’t treat your customers like cash machines and pretend to get a tip when you aren’t really being nice or friendly. This is really brining down the over all experience of this place but at my opinion deserves better trained staff and service. I came here to relax and to enjoy two weeks after a year of hard work and I found myself stressing every time I had to go eat because I didn’t know what to expect from the waiters. I really hated it, to the point that a few times I didn’t go eat because I didn’t want to be treated badlly.

Junior DeCamp

Absolutely no entertainment at the pool area. The quiet pool is not quiet at all. The staff is very rude. No variety in the buffet and good luck getting a reservation for a restaurant. No A/C in the dining area. One day we were told that they ran out of pool towels, spent the whole day with no pool towels. We ordered desert and a champagne to the room, utensils were not included and were not provided when asked. The water pressure in the room is not good at all. The maintenance staff stopped by the room and stated that nothing could be done to fix the water pressure. Very dissapointing. Do not waste your money or time.

Ry

Came here since my usual place was booked out. It was also the best priced for all inclusive that I could find at the time. Honestly, this may have replaced it at the top of my list! The staff was AMAZING, the food was AMAZING, and everything was perfect. I’m pretty picky about my hotels but this one hit everything on my list. There is even a cute shopping area across the street if you want to explore or shop. There are 6 restaurants, all with unique menus. You do need to reserve dinner times, but there is a concierge desk within every hotel structure. Staff was all super on top of things and room service was on time and more than enough. 100% recommending to everyone I know and definitely coming back some day. The only thing that I would recommend for people visiting Mexico (in general) is to make sure to look into seaweed growth during the summer months. I believe it is at its peak between May-October and it makes it difficult to enjoy the ocean. This is not the fault of the hotel as they had people trying to clean it up every day and I didn’t do any research before booking. 1000/10 best hotel I’ve been to

H

My partner and I had the pleasure of spending 11 days at this all-inclusive, adults-only resort as part of a package holiday with British Airways. Our stay was nothing short of exceptional. The staff went out of their way to ensure we were comfortable throughout. In particular, our personal concierge, Fernanda Montoya, made every effort to make our holiday truly special. The resort boasts excellent amenities, including several swimming pools, a variety of restaurants and bars, as well as a spa and gym. The entertainment team worked tirelessly to provide a range of daily activities and events. As a gay couple, we had some initial concerns ahead of our first visit to Mexico, particularly about how welcome we would feel in Playa del Carmen. However, we were made to feel completely safe and at ease from the moment we arrived, which allowed us to fully relax and enjoy our holiday. We very much look forward to returning to this wonderful resort in the near future.

Tyler

Great experience staying here, the service was excellent and all the employees made us feel welcome. The rooms are spacious and separated into small villas, the grounds are beautiful with several pools. There are 5 restaurants on site with several types of cuisine to choose from and they are all pretty good. Great location right on the beach and it is well take care of. My only complaint is there could be more nightlife activities (they did have karaoke, a few shows, and bands throughout the week). Just FYI the crowd is more couples and older folks, which is totally fine but I went with some younger singles friends. Great value overall!

Shad L

This was a fabulous getaway for us. Pricing was good and we weren't disappointed by the resort. Lots of different food to eat. The restaurants were nice with lots of options. Make sure you make your reservations 7 days in advance. You can do this before you arrive by emailing them. The beach was immaculate and groomed daily. The service was excellent. Drinks were made quick. The pools were clean. The rooms are huge, with a lot of space and their own decks. The entire layout of the resorts is stunning. The decor of the main entrance is beautiful and their indoor theater offers dinner and a show with individual tables.

Alice Z

We had a wonderful experience at the Royal Hideaway Playacar! The food was delicious and the resort was kept clean. Fun nightly shows and activities. The staff was wonderful at helping us with anything we needed, especially our concierge Gabriella in Villa 26. She made booking our dinner reservations easy and helped/recommended excursions for us to take which turned out to be amazing. While the service was exceptional at the restaurants, we wanted to highlight one particular server we had at The Grill- Antonio Lopez. Antonio was our server during the last dinner of our trip and he truly made it a wonderful last night. He was incredibly attentive, friendly, and went above and beyond to ensure we had everything we needed during our meal! Truly an amazing way to end the trip!

Travis Smart

Ian from the bike area gave exceptional serviced everyday! My family and I rode bikes almost everyday and we were always greeted by him and his friendliness. Sandos gets a 10/10 and I’m so happy with our choice of resorts! Beautiful and clean facilities! All workers go above and beyond in everything they do! Great resort but even better service and workers!

Mercedes lyn kinney

ve been coming here every year for the past four years, and it truly never disappoints! This place has become our favorite getaway — the atmosphere, the people, everything is top-notch. I especially want to shout out Ian from the bike services team — he’s absolutely wonderful! Always friendly, helpful, and goes above and beyond to make sure everything runs smoothly. His great attitude makes the experience even better. If you’re visiting, I highly recommend trying out the bike services — you won’t be disappointed!

Smartfamily5

Lovely Resort! And even better staff! Ian from the bike are gave 10/10 service everyday! Ian was very helpful and he even gave us snack suggestions! The cupcake place was so yummy and the resort was very nicely kept and always clean! Sandos has exceptional workers and they all work hard and go out of their way in everything they do!

Vlad Arsiriy

Not Worth the Money – Disappointed from Start to Finish As someone who’s traveled to Mexico several times with family, I can honestly say Sandos Playacar was one of the most disappointing resort experiences we’ve had. We arrived around 10am with our little kids after the night flight hoping to relax and settle in. But we were told we couldn’t check in until 3pm. That’s a five-hour wait in the lobby with exhausted children - not exactly family-friendly. We asked about early check-in, and instead of offering a solution, they told us it would cost $20 per hour. When we pushed back and asked for a discount, they claimed we were already getting one — that normally it would be $20 per person and we’d have to pay $500 for our family. It was absurd. We had no choice but to pay extra just to get into our room and take care of our kids. Not the greatest thing for all inclusive resort where everything was already paid in advance. The rooms and buildings are outdated, plain and simple. Old furniture, tired decor, and not a single bottle of water provided in the room. The beach - one of the main reasons we came was a complete letdown. I was looking forward to swimming in the Caribbean Sea with my kids but that didn’t happen. The ocean was filled with seaweed to the point where you couldn’t even step into the water, let alone swim or snorkel. It was a total no-go. I understand seaweed can be seasonal but the resort made no real effort to clean it properly. Instead of using equipment like tractors, they sent out a couple of workers with rakes — completely ineffective given the volume. Buffet areas were dirty. We saw flies and cockroaches constantly. The food options were average at best, and the drink selection at the bars was shockingly limited for an all-inclusive resort. If you’re expecting a decent variety of cocktails or premium drinks, you’ll be disappointed. Housekeeping wasn’t consistent either. Some days they didn’t clean the room at all unless we went downstairs and talked to someone personally. Between the lack of beach access, overpriced check-in, outdated facilities, and cleanliness issues, I wouldn’t recommend this place. We’ll be choosing a different resort next time — one that actually delivers on what it promises.

Jose Gastelum

Great Family-Friendly All-Inclusive Experience! We stayed at Sandos Playacar for 8 days and had a great overall experience. Check-in and check-out were quick and easy, which helped us start and end our trip stress-free. The staff was friendly and helpful, and we enjoyed the variety of food, entertaining night shows, clean beach (even during seaweed season), and the peaceful walking paths and pools. The family-friendly vibe throughout the resort really stood out. One thing to keep in mind: the specialty restaurants require reservations, and availability is limited, so it’s best to book them as soon as you check in. If you don’t reserve in time, you can always enjoy dinner at the main buffet, which stays open until 10:30 p.m., or head to the taco spot that serves until 11 p.m. The barbacoa and cochinita pibil tacos there are amazing! Also, the coffee spot is open until 11 pm and besides drinks they got lots of pastries too! As for the rooms, they’re decent but could use some upgrades. We would have preferred a more modern design, central air conditioning instead of a mini split, and less humidity overall. Also, the room service menu is quite limited, and it would be a nice touch to include snacks like chips or cookies in the rooms or have them more available throughout the resort. All things considered, we highly recommend Sandos Playacar for anyone looking for a well-rounded, all-inclusive resort in Playa del Carmen with great service, beautiful grounds, and plenty of family-friendly activities.

Stephanie MacDonald

This was the best experience I have ever had in a hotel! The staff was amazing! Super friendly, helpful they made me feel at home. The room had an amazing view of the ocean and pool. I couldn't have asked for a better location! It was next to the mall and the Plaza, the ferry to Cozumel was right next door. I would recommend this hotel to anyone looking to travel to Playa Del Carmen.

Rebecca Martinez

We had such an amazing week stay! The staff is wonderful… everyone is so friendly! Ricardo and Danielle in the pool are were phenomenal servers, attentive and so kind! Christopher and Miguel at MadreMia were perfect! All the restaurants, buffets and room service offered such good tasting food and each one had their own unique spin on drinks! Luis, the bellhop, was friendly and helpful! I highly recommend if you want an amazing all inclusive stay! We plan to try other Palace resorts.

Anna S

A very pleasant stay at Playacar palace and would definitely recommend! The food was delicious in all the restaurants and buffet, and they had gluten free and vegetarian options. The rooms were spacious and clean. There was a fridge that actually kept the drinks cool, unlike other hotels. Maybe as an improvement the showers could have a detachable head as wet as the overhead shower. The location was great, a short walk from the ferry and the shops/restaurants. The hotel had a pool and access to the sea with deckchairs and staff that were very attentive. Playacar palace was our first all inclusive resort and we loved it! I would definitely recommend a stay here.

Meyer Stern

I rarely leave reviews, but this place was such a disappointment I feel compelled to warn others. The hotel is grossly overpriced for what you actually get. From the moment we arrived, it was clear this place is severely under-managed. The entire resort had a strange odor that never went away. The food was honestly inedible – bland, greasy, and repetitive. Definitely not what you'd expect from an "all-inclusive." We ended up eating out most nights just to get a decent meal, which defeats the purpose entirely. To make matters worse, the photos online are incredibly misleading. The rooms are dated, poorly cleaned, and nothing like the polished images on their website. Don't fall for the glossy marketing – this place is not what it claims to be. I expected so much more for the price. Save your money and book somewhere else.

Ldattinelly

Amazing resort for families! 11 of us including teenagers. Excursion was arranged by Victor. Everything was perfect. Food and service great! We were called after our stay saying we left an ipad. They arranged for FedEx to return within days. Absolutely amazing trip!