Good resort, amazing food, lots to do!

The resort was nice. The food was better than any 5 star resort, simply amazing. The beach, however wasn't very good. It was a very rocky, so you had to walk outside of the resort to go to a nice beach. Also, water bottles were nowhere to be found - I get this is an "eco" resort, but this was a great inconvenience in the hot weather! Overall, a positive experience.

Jungle getaway

We stayed at the Sandos Caracol from Dec.8 to 15th. We opted for the adult Select Club and are glad we did. The Select Club beach area was wonderful. No problem getting a lounger. The clubhouse was great - you could pop in and get a drink, a snack, even sandwiches for lunch. It also had a washroom with a shower, and a towel exchange. The beach is rocky but it is possible to find a sandy pathway past the rocks if you walk along the rocky outcropping the north side of the beach. But finding the pa [... read more]thway depends on the clarity of the water. For us, the first couple of days it was very murky but cleared up after that. We loved exploring the myriad of pathways through the jungle and mangroves and seeing so much wildlife, Mayan ruins and cenotes. Watching the monkeys play in the trees was a high point for us! We regret not taking advantage of some of the organized activities like the guided nature walks. The room was okay. Loved the hot/cold water dispenser in the room. The hot is hot enough to make coffee and tea with – a big bonus for me. So glad they dispensed with the reservations for the a la carte restaurants. We found we could just go when we pleased and didn't ever have to wait for a table. All in all a nice experience and we will consider returning.

Family vacation

Our trip at Sandos was amazing there was so much stuff to do at this resort, never a dull moment. The night life and shows were so great the superhero show was really good even for adults. The Mayan shows were also one of our favorites. The resort was big and a bit confusing to get around but after a day I knew it inside out. The kids waterpark was better than I thought the kids had such a great time there and they are building a waterslide park for adults ready in January so it will be even be [... read more]tter for the whole family. The staff was awesome and so friendly and willing to help. The things that we were not happy about was the room, it looked really run down and the cleaners would forget to clean or just didn't come. Not normally an issue for me but with all the sand from the beach you need it swept, we called a few times for toilet paper since they never refilled it or just didn't clean that day. That was just a bit of a pain. The guest service people really pushed you multiple times to do the time share tour, no matter how many times you said no they would still bug you. After a long day of traveling once we got to the resort we wanted to just get to our room, change and enjoy paradise however we had to sit with the quest service guy for about 20 min defending why we don't want to do the time share tour. Once he finally allowed us to leave he or his co workers would bug us to do the tour anytime we went to guest services with a question, we just started lying and said we already did it, or we just avoided that area all together. The other issue was the beach, it was very rocky and the waves were very rough so there was no snorkeling or swimming off our resort. I tried to snorkel and the waves were so strong and the water was so cloudy you couldn't see more than 5 ft in from of you. Even with the few issues we loved the resort

Falls Well Below Mexico Expectations

Let me start by saying that in no way are my expectations from a Mexico trip excessive--I completely understand what a 4 star Mexico rating means--that being said, while there are some good components, overall this resort falls well, well, well below the Mexican average. If you are looking for great rooms, great beach, great ocean and great service then go elsewhere. On the other hand, if you are looking for a great kids club then you would be hard pressed to find a better one. SERVICE -- Extre [... read more]mely poor service right across the board (kids club is the exception) Being a large resort it takes a little to get use too but there is no explanation as to how the restaurants work, where they are, things to do. In fact in order to get a pocket map of the resort, which you absolutely need, you have to meet with the Timeshare reps--Are you kidding me? Essentially you are left to figure it out yourself and/or deal with the timeshare pitch. Make no mistake here, you are not a guest but instead just another number that has money to spend, and spend they want you to do from the $12 bag of potato chips in the onsite shop to $200 massages in their spa. TIP--walk down the beach 5 mins and get a massage right on the beach from the outside vendors for $35--ITS UNBELIEVABLE ROOMS -- We booked the simply "family room" and after checking in had to return to the front counter to request a different room as the one they sent us to had a mold/mildew problem which I was not going to subject my 4 year old to. We were being overly polite with this request but the treatment we received back was deplorable, by first stating that we were wrong in our mold statement that it was simply the humidity--ahh NO--I know what humidity is and this was not that, in any event, after a very unpleasant ordeal they did move us to a different room, same set up but no mold. Now we did not want a ground floor room, had put that request in our booking, had emailed the resort directly ahead of our arrival specifically to request a non-ground floor room and received a reply back but yet both the original and new room-Ground Floor! However after the treatment on the first change request there was no way I was going back a second time. Once bitten, twice shy--at least the mold was gone. The room itself is in a desperate and I mean desperate need of upgrade, we were told there was a pull out sofa but there was no sofa so we slept 3 to a bed in what I can only say is the hardest bed Ive ever slept in (had to check to make sure it wasn't just a box spring). The balconies are virtually pointless in these family rooms as they are the size of an average bathtub (no joke) and most overlook their ECO system (which is a polite was of saying the swamp came right up to the foot of the balcony) no matter because the bugs are so bad you don't want to step onto the balcony or open the patio door anyway. We had a small closet and 3 small shelves to accommodate our family in their "family room" no dresser and no where to unpack. A family of 3 living out of a suitcase for a week is miserable. Bathroom was a one sink with a very very small counter space affair, again, very difficult for a family. AC unit broke down twice and was repaired twice during our week which also matched the number of times the room was not made up in the week. Drinking water in the room consisted of a big jug dispenser that could not be plugged in so it was always warm--couldn't be plugged in because other then the tv, there was only one other plug within the whole room--Come on Sandos, family rooms need to charge portable devices you know. lastly, the walls are paper thin, you can hear everything from simple conversations to a cough or sneeze, pray you dont end up with a crying baby at night because that will keep the entire complex awake, what do they build these walls out of--its crazy. In any event, we made the best of it but be warned--a Sandos Family Room--does not offer much comfort for a family, and if your someone who likes to wake up and step onto the balcony to breath in the ocean--FORGET ABOUT IT--it won't happen here. BEACH ---all the other reviews are accurate--its basically huge rocks with small sand patches in between, as an adult I navigated them slowly up to my chest once but as it was unswimable for the kids we ended up at the pool for the week--which is PACKED--because the beach is unswimable FOOD -- its Mexico so your not going to get gourmet meals but the buffet was decent and what you would expect. The restaurants were substantially better and I liked them both. So as far as food--perfectly fine but you should also expect average to below average food service, which didnt matter to me but might to some. I should point out that although I was fine, two other members of our party did get very ill (I dont know if it was the food or something else but it was a first for us) ECO -- I'm all for eco so no straws and no water bottles etc was fine with me--but keep in mind that when they say ECO, what they actually mean is FINANCIALLY ECO. Because not spending money on straws and water and linen service for some reason is acceptable when they say ECO, but cutting down the jungle to add a 100,000 gallon water park expansion is also acceptable when they can charge more per person. I have no problem with it but I mention it only because they pound ECO down your throat and I thought it was funny from a hypocritically point of view. Might be why they have a Silver Eco rating and not Gold. KIDS CLUB -- Ok now for the good--actually now for the great, exceptional, blew me away. The Kids Club is by far the best best Kids Club Ive ever seen. Not only do they have a great facility (and of course the ECO water park lol) but the staff was out of this world. The kids could and did sign up for the various entertainment shows at night and were incorporated into them. We always felt safe leaving the kids there and they always wanted to go which was great as it gave us some adult time. The staff--ohh those Kids Club staff--UNBELIEVABLE--INCREDIBLE--AWESOME. If you have kids--they will love it and it will be a memory for a long long time. In summary--if you are looking for good rooms, good beach/ocean and good service then look elsewhere and don't second guess yourself as I'm doing you a huge favor- otherwise upgrade your room to the best they have but it obviously will add to the cost of your vacation and Im not sure this resort it worth that extra. However, if the rooms, beach/ocean don't mean that much to you and its a vacation all about the kids..well they will have a good time for sure. As for me..I think the only way I would go back would be if the cost was half of what we paid--which would be just about the appropriate cost for this resort.

Great

This resort was great. Food was superb. 3 delicious buffets and plenty of a la cartes. Make sure to book your a la carte restaurants when you arrive to ensure you get a reservation as they fill up fast. The beach is very rocky, but still nice. The pools are nice and the trails on the resort were fun to explore. There are mosquitoes so bring bug spray or use the insect repellent supplied. Night time entertainment was good. I would recommend upgrading to Select Club for adults only pool and rooms  [... read more]closer to the lobby.

Great holiday at a great price!

We spent a week here with our two children 4 & 6 in mid November. We had a really relaxing and fun time. Pros: - The resort was really beautiful and lush. - Lots of activities for the kids. There were two kids shows (superheros, Disney) and they were well done and our kids really enjoyed it. - The room was better than I expected; the balconies are very small. - The water park was really great, but in retrospect our kids would have still had fun at a resort that didn't have it, probably because  [... read more]the pool was so warm and we were able to spend hours and hours in it. - The xcalacoco shows were really neat and it was fun that they took place in different locations each time. A bit scary for the 4 year old though. - The kids LOVED all the animals. - Walking around the resort was always interesting. Cons - only 2: - The beach - sitting on it was beautiful and great, but going into the water was a bit of a challenge. Rocky at the entrance. But our kids are really into going into the ocean and they loved playing on the beach and bringing the water to their castles so it wasn't an issue for us. - The food - the kids were so tired at the end of the day that we stuck mostly to the buffet and it grew pretty tiresome after a few days. The food always seemed the same and it was just OK. The resort is really missing a restaurant/snack bar closer to the beach/pool People complain about the mosquitoes but we only saw about 10 of them the whole week. It wasn't an issue for us. All-in-all a really wonderful holiday and at a very reasonable price! The kids could not have enjoyed themselves more and we had a very enjoyable time too.

Exceeded my expectations

Amazing week with my 4 year old and my 66 year old mother. Service was great, entertainment was appreciated by all age groups. Food was good. Lots to do and see on the resort if you feell like it. The AquaPark was perfect for my son to enjoy. Only downfall was the size of balconies in the family section. Other than that... It was an awesome vacation!

Great place to do as little or as much as you want

The grounds are clean, the food is good at the buffets and great at the a la cartes. Plenty of activities for all age groups as you explore the resort. The Adult Select Club is quiet and the Select beach club is a welcome place to relax.

Daughters first time away

The resort was great. Well maintained, friendly staff and easy to get around. My daughter loved the animals that we're around and the dogs. It was fun seeing my daughter seeing and going into the ocean for the first time. The only thing I would suggest is that you have all the money you need with you for the whole trip and not to depend on the bank machines. They do not recgonize Canadian bank cards. We enjoyed our vacation and would return to try out the new water park!!

Unique Resort

Eco resort within forest with ceynotes and mayan ruins on property. Great mayan related activities program with boat tour, bicycle tour and shows. Food was good. Plenty of chairs on beach. Not harassed for tipping at this resort. Lots to do for all ages.

Room for improvement

The people were wonderful the rooms were aweful! From cracked counters and showers to 50 year old furniture to daily broken locks on doors. The room we got was nothing compared to what they display on there website so be very careful!

Excellent Resort and Spa - Sandos Caracol

The rooms and the grounds around the resort were very clean. Any time we had a complaint in the room or the facilities the hotel staff came as quickly as possible to fix the problem. Food variety was excellent. We could get whatever we wanted. Nightly entertainment was unbelievably great and of various nature. The whole family enjoyed every program. Hotel staff was very courteous and obliging including the cooks and the waiters.

First time in Mexico. Nice vacation

Resort is beautiful, clean, food is excellent, entertainment excellent, beach is nice but only ocean have too much sea weed and rocks. Lots of trips to Mayan land and other attractions. Store in hotel is very expensive, cigarettes, alcohol and souvenirs you can find much cheaper on street vendors in resort or in Playa Del Carmen.

Warmhearted resort

I love the ambiance ,,, the grounds makes you feel at home with all the nature surrounding you . love the eco friendly approach , love the two divisions adults very calm,,, and the familly side so perfectly adapted !!! Bring your shoes for the ocean you will have so much fun !! short staffed at the restaurants only thing to say :) pools are small on the kids side ,,, but beach is perfect

Adventures and Exciting resort

Fantastic Resort for exploring exciting animals and different trails and walkways fun to get around not overly big. Great Water park for the younger kids my daughter is 9 1/2 yrs old and still enjoyed it. Restaurants were fabulous especially Las Mascaras for aurhentic Mexican food. Eco/standard rooms very basic bathrooms nice but things to do on the resort by far makes up for it.Enjoyed chill out pool better then main pool quieter and nicer. stayed. 6 nights beginning of July 2015 Overall loved  [... read more]it more then likely will return

Awesome Resort!

Resort is amazing! Tons of wildlife walking all around the resort. The waterpark and pools were great for the kids and the shows were excellent. Food was good, selection at buffets were reasonable and they allow you to book as many a la cartes as you want. The only downside is that being in the middle of he jungle the Mosquitos are bad. They have repellant dispensers through the resort, but bringing your own stronger repellant would be a better option. We went with kids 8yrs and 5yrs, and would  [... read more]definitely go back to the resort.

Bad start and good finish

Sandos Caracol Eco Resort We've stayed at the resort between 21 and 31st of May. The reason for the stay was our son's wedding. Overall the aftertaste of our vacation is positive and we have a potential desire to come back. There were, however, couple of issues which probably should be addressed for the resort improvement. 1. The check in was unbelievably slow, with little attention given to the guests presences, and no support provided afterwards. I had a twisted ankle and a broken rib issue an [... read more]d begged at the check in to allocate for us a room on the ground floor. However, the answer was simple, not possible. Meanwhile our friends couple, who were at the same time asking to put them higher up, were given ground floor room with the same no exchange possible. Hmmmm? Only after 3 days of asking, plus with involvement of my son's wedding coordinator, we were moved to the ground floor location. Needless to mention similar attitude was given to my daughter upon her arrival with two kids of 1 and 3. They were put on the top floor with pushchairs to move up and down. Their situation was solved only on the second day. 2. As we are up rather early everyday, we've noticed that property is not bring well maintained and cleaned before about 9 am. Walking around about 8am you will find drink cups, food mess, and similar all around the area, including similar floating in the pool. It was rather sad. On the positive note, the wedding organization was superb, with excellent entertainment and good care after guests and wedded couple. Food was good, diverse and available at anytime. Plenty of seats on the beach and around the pool. Amazing Xcalacoco shows during the stay. Great indoor playground for my grandchildren. Thus, the resort is good with great window for improvement and opportunity for growth. Here are my review in a nutshell. Sincerely, Elena, working for American Express Travel as a senior travel counsellor

Wonderful and relaxing!

This resort was lovely! We spent most of our time at the beach and the 'chill out' pool. The grounds are large, but very well shaded so we did not mind all of the walking - it helped burn some calories! The food was good, and the a la carte's were terrific. We had no complaints at all. Lots to do. We will likely return.

Beautiful resort!

The resort is spread out over many acres. The monkeys saunter around & swing through the trees! Very pristine surroundings & well kept. The beach is a good walk to get to and being on a coral reef, it is rocky. We will DEFINITELY return!

All in one great resort!

Sandos Caracol Eco Experience Resort....a resort that is full of life, be it underground (Cenote) and aboveground (jungle with a variety of animals), top it off with great personnel! Aside from the beautiful nature that this resort can offer, it has a great team of workers. Everyone we met, were all dedicated and passionate on what they do. Thank you for the great memories....we will certainly spread the good words about your resort!