We were a family of 7, 4 adults and 3 children, aged 11,10 and 8. Check in took a little time, however the lovely young lady checking us in was friendly and accommodating. She changed our King Family suites so that we could be on the same floor. We didn't get the pool view as originally requested, but the garden view was actually quieter and more private, plus we saw monkeys from our balcony one morning! Our suites were gorgeous with a huge bathroom with jacuzzi tub, separate shower and separate toilet. The suite was spacious, clean and well appointed. It was perfect! We were in the 9000 building. The location is close to the smaller breakfast buffet (Steakhouse) and close to three a la carte restaurants, Steakhouse, Indian and Brazilian, two minute walking to each, plus minutes from the large family pool with small water slide, swim up bar and lunch bbq area and this is the family pool with lots of activities. We spent most of our days at the family pool closest to the ocean so that we could go back and forth to the ocean or pool. This is where the larger water slide is (for children) and they have a covered outdoor restaurant with a variety of lunch choices. The shuttles were at the 9000 building, and they ran every 15 minutes. We never waited long at all. From the 9000 building you could walk to the beach and family pool in about 10-15 minutes. It is a beautiful walkway! Very scenic and lush well kept grounds. Our maid and water/coffee person kept our room spotless and if we ever asked for extra coffee or facecloths or water bottles they were more than happy to bring them. Our grandkids enjoyed the family pools and mini golf the best, and the older boys enjoyed the teen club after a day in the sun, or while the adults watched the shows at night. The main buffet was huge! There were SO many choices for our family! We tried all the a la cartes, the kids enjoying the Brazilian best because of the buffet type choices that went along with your meal. We didn't go to the French or Mexican a la carte with the kids. My husband and I had exceptional service and meal at the Mexican (this would be our favourite!). so personal, they brought the chef out and took a photo, we loved the young lady who made guacamole at our table, it was a perfect evening! They made us feel special! My husband and I loved the food at the French, but found the waiters were not warm or friendly. The food at the Italian was delicious, but again the waiters were not as friendly. Service in all the other a la cartes was fabulous, just not at the Italian or French. They were professional, just a bit cool. I am afraid I did not get the names of many staff like I usually do because we were with a busy family. The nightly shows were fantastic! The resort is beautiful and clean. The beach is lovely for long walks. It was windy and there is sargassum in the water, some days more than others, but we still got into the ocean! The pools are clean and staff were terrific. We never ran out of things to do. The kids were never bored. We needed more time here!! The location of this resort is over an hour from the Cancun Airport. We took a private transfer rather than wait for the provided shuttle (included with our package). We didn't want to waste time waiting to load a bus and stop at other resorts to drop people off. If you want to go off the resort to shop, there is a Plaza Playacar about fifteen minutes or so walk from the resort. We found many beautiful items. The resort also has a market, but I am unsure of how often it happens. It is huge and again has many vendors. There are very few vendors on the beach, which disappointed our grandkids. We never had any issues getting loungers by the pools or beach, and they offer lots of shade. Above the lobby there is a quiet bar you can go to and my husband and I went a couple of evenings before heading back to our room. We all had fun watching the monkeys, the coatis, the capybaras and animals around the resort. The kids sure enjoyed the Cupcake Cafe! We honestly needed more time here to explore more. We would definitely recommend and would return to this resort! Thank you for an amazing time!

Went on a couples trip in the adults only club. Definitely a family friendly resort, but nice secluded areas for adults only. Good for the older crowds.. not quite what we we're looking for as younger adults but lovely nonetheless! Great food, staff, beach, pools.

My family of 5 just got back from our stay at Sandos Playacar in Riviera Maya. When we arrived at the hotel we were given a room with a broken toilet. We were told that we wouldnt get a new room until the following day. We were very disappointed but after they realized the toilet couldnt be fixed, the offered us another room. That rooms air conditioning was broken. We went back to the front desk and were assisted by a lovely lady who then upgraded us to a King suite. The upgrade made us very happy and made up for the hiccups at the beginning of our stay. The food at the buffets was good but the a la carte restaurants were amazing, particularly the Brazillian steakhouse. We really enjoyed the picanha. The Mexican restaurant that doesnt require reservations is absolutely amazing as well...we were sad to have only discovered it on our last day. Its beside the cupcake café. The cupcake cafe made delicious strawberry smoothies and nice cappucinos. The pools were nice however we were disappointed that the swim up bar closed at 6pm. The shows were entertaining and well done. We particularly enjoyed the 80's show, the Beauty and the Beast show and the Michael Jackson show. The hotel is very big and could use some more trains...we were often waiting more than 20 minutes for a train and ended up walking most of the time...which is not a bad thing but would be disappointing for people with mobility issues. The monkeys and iguanas were a highlight for our children. They loved watching the monkeys swinging through the trees and seeing all the wildlife around the resort. The staff was great and worked very hard to keep the resort running smoothly. The beach was beautiful! White sandy beach with turquoise waters. Absolutely lovely. The water park was fun but my kids said it was really cold so they didnt stay there for too long which was a bit disappointing. Overall, it was a really nice family vacation and we made some great memories at Sandos!

This resort was just okay. I didn’t feel it was good value for what we paid. The good parts: food at the buffet was quite good with good variety. Service & drink quality at the select bar was great. The grounds were mature and well kept. Housekeeping was very efficient. The beach was fantastic. Lots of loungers in the sun and shade all day. The bad parts: I would qualify Royal Elite sales as harassment. These people will not take no for an answer and will stop at nothing to ruin your day. For the most part À la carte reservations are available through an extortion scheme. They can’t fit you in unless you agree to spend big money on wine even when the restaurant is nearly empty. Reservations can be made in the app if you’re willing to spent your entire vacation refreshing the app hoping for a miracle. So - it’s not really all inclusive. Information provided (re checkout times & access to late checkout) at the lobby customer services desk was completely different when the same questions were asked at the Meeting Point lobby. It feels like everyone has an agenda and that seems to include misinformation. I’m not sure if this was poor training or staff looking to pocket cash for favours. The rooms and facilities are dated and not well laid out. Eg: crooked artwork & light fixtures - hand towel racks that were 4ft from the sink… not offensive but really bizarre. We had no hot water in our room. We had to report it twice before it was resolved after 2 days.

The resort itself was clean, a little difficult to navigate around, we got lost a few times. Figured it out by the time it was time to go. Buffet food was ok, we were very disappointed with the resort when it came to booking restaurants. We were told many different things.. 1. booking opens 8am daily to reserve a spot first come first serve. 2. bookings open at midnight 3. You need to book 1 week in advance from your trip only if you are elite. So we were very board with having buffet food the entire trip. The pools were nice, staff were very friendly. The shuttle could have been more consistent. Sometimes you only waited 5 mins other times you had to wait 20 mins. Most of our group could walk but we did have 2 with some mobility issues and walking wasn't always an option. The spa was amazing! The couples massage was far beyond what we expected and would do it again. The gym was very nice, but get there early or you won't be able to do a proper work out due to the lack of equipment. The beach was beautiful! Soft white sand and clear warm water. We would come back again, knowing what we know now about the restaurants we will be more prepared.

This hotel was huge but the grounds were so beautiful and full of wildlife that walking it wasn’t bad at all! The food was amazing at the buffet and the à la carte restaurants were even better! Drinks were super good! Staff was all very friendly and accommodating! Nothing bad to say about this resort! I will definitely be back!

Very nice resort. Nice beach .Clean , quiet .Food was a huge disappointment,about as Mexican as Taco Bell on a bad day . Staff were below what I expected. Communication was a huge problem, language barriers.

Very roomy property. There were so many lounge chairs with lots of access to shade. Only drawback was the water system in the rooms for showers. I am sure things will get updated but no warm water in the mornings and poor water pressure. One other detail. The lights outside our rooms turned off during the night so it was pitch black when we had early departures. Maybe safety lights in the staircases would be an improvement. The children enjoyed the kids and teen areas and we liked the shows

This is our first all inclusive experience and Sandos Playacar definitely put a high bar for us. Food - great selections from buffet to ala carte options. If you could book the ala carte restaurant right after you get your room number please do so as they booked up pretty fast. We are lucky to have been able to try all of their ala carte restaurants by booking them in their Sandos App and walk in on others as they were fully booked when we get there. Walk in aren’t guaranteed but its worth the shot, just be genuine and polite to the staff. Pools were great, just a little cold than what you would expect. Beach were great especially if you come when there’s not much wind as these brings huge waves and seaweeds on the shore. Entertainment - the best!!! Theres a night show every night, daily activities by the adults pool and family area. Not to add that there’s multiple food and beverages sections around the beach area. We got the select superior room which gave us a gold bracelet that allows us to have premium liquors and access to places that other tier such as Blue bracelet can’t get into. Service - we really enjoyed our experiences in all of the ala carte as they are more fine dining than your normal buffet. We find that service is much better and amazing ambiance overall. Thank you Isaac, Hermelindo and Pedro for giving us the most memorable experience at Le Gourmet. Spa - we got treated poorly by the front desk staff Sebastian just because we change our treatment from full Body to Relaxing treatment. The massage for my partner was great but the person did mine wasn’t relaxing at all, it was way softer than anything Ive experienced. Booked our tours through seek and go! Thank you Cristobal for going above and beyond and making sure we got our transport sorted even after your shift! Another shoutout to Lorraine for being sweet, and calm. Called midnight to ask for a cream for sunburn and she made sure we got them on time. Overall great experience except for the room quality and spa desk staff experience.

Our stay was ok but I wouldn’t return or recommend it. The hotel/property was massive and poorly run. We weren’t able to get any dinner reservations during our week long stay. Most parts of the resort felt dated and needed repairs desperately. It was on a gorgeous strip of beach.

Overall the resort was great, but the check in and front desk staff weren’t very welcoming or helpful, while servers and many staff were lovely it felt like other staff didn’t provide needed information and weren’t helpful. I’d also say that booking transport to and from the airport separately would have improved the experience since we waited over an hour to leave the airport while they organized the transport provided and then spent longer dropping off other guests in other areas

Review of My Stay My vacation started off on a stressful note. The ride from the airport was supposed to take around 50 minutes, but the driver took us through random neighborhood areas, which felt unsafe and uncomfortable. The trip ended up taking about 2 hour and a half, and we didn’t arrive at the resort until around 11:45 PM. Check-in was smooth and the resort representative was very nice, providing all the necessary information quickly. However, when we got to the room, things took another disappointing turn. The room was extremely outdated, and after a long day of traveling, I was shocked to discover there was no water at all. I couldn’t take a shower or even brush my teeth before going to bed, which was unacceptable. During the stay, Maurio (from Chile) stood out in the best way — always smiling, kind, and ready to help with anything. Thank you, Mario, for your excellent service. The restaurants were wonderful every night — great service and great food. The resort grounds were beautiful with lots of walking paths, plenty of shade, and gorgeous palm trees and landscaping. Those were truly highlights of the trip. Room service cleaned the room daily, but for some reason we constantly had to request coffee or fridge refills. Even though we repeatedly asked, water was never restocked, and we ended up having to buy it from the plaza (which fortunately was inexpensive at 20 pesos). One major downside was the constant presence of salespeople around the resort, which became very annoying. I come on vacation to relax, not to be bothered repeatedly or deal with rude responses. I especially want to mention the young Asian photographer in the evenings — he was unprofessional, bullying, and even made rude comments in his language. I don’t understand how someone like that represents the resort. Overall, the experience had its good points — great food, beautiful grounds, and a few exceptional staff members — but the resort really needs to improve staff politeness and address room issues, especially the inconsistent water supply. Hot water was on and off throughout the stay, which was frustrating. With a few important improvements, this could have been a much better vacation.

The resort was nice long drive from the airport. Rooms are a little dated but still nice. Buffet was really good lots of options. The sales pitch to join their vacation club was long and we were not interested. We enjoyed ourselves and would try Mexico again.

If you want full access to the resort, you will need to upgrade to the premium club membership. We spent most of the week being told “you’re not allowed here”. We decided to upgrade to the premium but they would not speak to us about it unless we sat through a 1.5 hour presentation of them trying to sell you a Sandos membership. We decided to make the best of it however the straw that broke the camels back was when we were told we couldn’t sit on the beach even though 95% of the chairs were empty and that we’d have to move further down. Will never book at a Sandos again and would not recommend it to anyone. That being said, although the guest services were horrible, the service staff (waiters, waitresses, bartenders, etc) were very good and if not for them, this stay would have been unbearable.

The hotel exceeded our expectation. I was very scared and not knowing what to expect when booking but I am glad I followed my guts. when we got to the Resort it's was screaming cleanliness, good vibe, the front desk guy was amazing. The atmosphere was very comforting especially when the temperature was over bearing (oven). By the time we were done checking in, we were shown our room and getting in, the bedroom and bathroom was immaculately clean (if there is a better word to describe our room it would be it). The food was exceptional, there was food for everyone even the picky eater like myself and the kids lol. The beach and swimming pool was neva crowded and there was games and drinks available. Public washrooms were in very good condition and was always smelling nice. Basically myself and my family did have a blast. The boys still talk about the fun they had. The only negative thing I would say about the Resort was the wait time on getting a mini cart to drive you to the main buffet or the beach and and it does not run 24hrs. With little ones, we had to take the mini cart ( my kids call it Gertrude the train) because its takes about 20mins to walk to the main buffet and another 10mins to the beach, and it was a rush in when it comes due to other families waiting on the mini cart. Overall our stay was fantastic and I would visit again.

I recently stayed at this hotel and had a mixed experience. On the positive side, the hotel was impeccably clean, the room accommodations were large and inviting which made for a comfortable stay. However, the food was disappointing and didn’t meet our expectations. The only restaurant that was good was the French. We have been to Mexico many times and we chose to go back because their food was always great. Not this time. The staff were pleasant but not particularly engaging, only if they are trying to sell you the upgrades. The family section lacked entertainment. You only had the music from the pool and that’s it. Most of the entertainment staff seemed to be focused on the Elite areas of the resort, and unless you pay extra for “Elite” status, you miss out on a lot. The layout of the resort is another drawback. The family section is located at the far end of the property, a good 10–15 minute walk from the beach — longer if you’re carrying all your beach gear under the scorching sun. While trolleys are available, they run every 30 minutes and fill up fast. If you’re not assertive, you may not get a seat. All in all, I found this hotel to be overpriced for the quality of accommodations and food offered. My family and I had higher expectations and unfortunately, we will not be returning.

The resort is very nice and expansive, the grounds beautifully kept. The room we had was incredibly quiet. The staff was super friendly, helpful and attentive. There was an issue with our room phone and someone was there within minutes to fix it. Everything was very clean. Fridge was restocked daily. The beach was gorgeous and well maintained with plenty of seating. Mauro at guest services was absolutely lovely. The Mexican cultural evening was amazing, especially the Maya portion. It was fun to see all sorts of animals wandering the resort like monkeys, iguanas, coati and agouti. Overall we enjoyed the food and they seemed to have something for just about everyone. Most small annoyances we had were with other guests, not the hotel. (ie people putting towels out at 8am to 'reserve' pool loungers all day, loud drunks in the pool, people smoking in nonsmoking areas). A couple of small points: check out time is noon but house keeping kicked us out of our room at 11, wifi/mobile in the room was awful (probably because the walls are incredibly thick), you will be asked repeatedly and frequently if you want add on services like massages/spa, we were in a ground level room and there was no way to lock the door leading outside. The lack of a lock wasn't an issue for us, but may make some guests feel unsafe. Overall it was an amazing stay in a beautiful setting and I'd absolutely return.

The beach and grounds were absolutely lovely! There were always enough chairs available by the beach and at all the pools. The rooms were great with a pool and a hot tub behind each hacienda. We had a few water issues...one day only cold water, and one day only hot water. Also the hot tub was not hot for a few days. Repairs were carried out fairly quickly after a service request was made. One of our group required medical services, which was prompt and excellent quality. We found that food which should have been hot was sometimes only luke warm. Cold foods were consistently cold. Food was tasty with the exception of the Mexican restaurant which was, with the exception of the appetizer, quite bland and served luke warm. The beach lunch buffet was particularly good. We used room service twice which was also good.

The hotel was extremely outdated where the elevators were under maintenance for the duration of our trip. Definitely a good hike to the third floor everyday. From the lack of care in the public washrooms and having one vehicle for transport shuttle for an entire resort, this was absolutely disappointing. Having to walk 20 min towards lunch and dinner daily. The pools were bone chilling cold as if they never plan on heating them. The activities are free including the kayaks. "Almost free" while tapping on his tip jar felt concerning and insulting. Didn't even feel like using the equipment after those types of comments. Many more to list however nothing nice would be added.

Overall, this resort is a great place for all ages, but especially for families. The beach and nature were amazing. Cleanliness and service are the most successful points of this resort, which through the wonderful and very kind staff make the stay at the resort even more desirable. We sincerely thank agent Sandra De Faria for suggesting this resort.

The resort was ot bad , the food could be better and the beach and pool was great. It has a lot of set back the shuttle was very back it took so long to make round trip for such a big hotel only had two shuttle runing and it was so far to waking to the entertainment,beach and some of the pool. It's not worth the cost for our stay.the rooms overall need to be updated .

Was excited to go back to a resort we enjoyed 1 yr ago but Disappointed. Had requested a king bed, not main floor, not poolside. They gave us the king but on main floor by the pool entrance. Told us we could pay to upgrade to a suite, declined an additional $1300 USD. Room was tired, toilet didn't flush & took 4 hours for someone to fix it. Food and drinks were good, lobby staff not helpful at all. Brazilian and Italian a la cartes best restaurants. We stayed in adult only select section. Signage for area needs to be better as children constantly coming to adult only Beach area or to bars or pool and then families would complain.

First room they gave me was in the family section nice room but a very long walk to get the tram (train Tran) . I was then moved to the adult section on the second floor with the elevator not working. The second night in my new room the air conditioner stopped working so did not get a good nights rest. Otherwise not as good of a vacation as last year’s. Other issues were with Air Canada. Dealing with trip central was easy and delightful, Thank you Richard Denis

we spent a week for my niece's wedding and it was amazing! This is a large resort with plenty to do. They are very well equipped for kids and adults. Pools were great, rooms were clean, and they had the largest buffet I've ever seen. Also plenty of à la cart restaurants, but do book early. The one hour snorkelling booked through the resort's dive center, which was a 10 minute boat ride away, was spectacular and very were worse the time and money.

The grounds were lovely but the resort was tired and the food and drinks were lacking. The rooms needed a major overhaul. All was bearable because of the gorgeous beach. I don’t think I would make a return visit. Staff for the most part were lovely but major communication barriers that I’ve never experienced at other resorts.

Sandos Playacar provided a memorable experience during my attendance at a destination wedding for a friend. The resort boasts convenient accessibility on foot, although its layout can be described as unconventional, particularly notable in the adult section which adjoins another pool catering to both children and adults, situated alongside the beach. Recently, the resort management adjusted the layout, evidently influenced by feedback from YouTube vloggers. While the resort's party scene may be subdued due to its family-friendly atmosphere and proximity to Playa del Carmen, guests seeking nightlife can easily venture into the city center. It's worth noting at Sandos Playacar, that local bars typically close by midnight, with some exceptions extending until 1 a.m. Regarding dining options, the main buffet located near the Meeting Point offers a satisfying array of dishes, including delectable spicy tacos prepared fresh from the grill. However, one inconvenience to consider is potential flight delays impacting travel to the resort, as it requires an additional hour of transportation via shuttle or car from Cancun. Accommodations, while somewhat dated, serve their purpose adequately considering that most guests spend minimal time in their rooms. Notably, room service maintains a commendable level of efficiency, particularly during non-peak meal times.

If you’re on a budget but want to experience paradise, this resort is for you. It’s nestled in the jungle yet has an amazing beach. It is very dated, but clean and well kept. The staff are amazing, they work very hard and take pride in this resort. It is extremely family oriented though, so don’t let the adults only section fool you, there will be lots of children at the main buffet and al cartes (like A LOT). There’s a lot to do here, so you probably won’t experience all it has to offer in one trip. It’s in a gated community so it is very safe and away from the crazy playa del Carmen. This is not a party resort there is no nightclub or disco, just nightly shows that were very entertaining! The food is ok, but for the price you pay, do not expect a culinary experience. There are several pools and a long stretch of beach to enjoy, so you should be able to find what you like here. We loved it and already miss it, what a great place to have a vacation!

We certainly enjoyed our stay. Everything is close by and the staff seem happy, hard working and organized. The food was amazing. Beautiful sand beach and within walking distance to Plata de Carmen. The rooms seem older so need updating, especially the bathrooms. The nightly shows were alright, but could be improved. Overall Mexico has gotten expensive for shopping and excursions. The airport is ridiculous for food and bottled water ( $10 US ) as it does not have stations to fill water bottles like most airports. There is no snorkeling at this resort.

Food was amazingly good and tasty and and staff was helpful and friendly Grounds were clean and shows were good entertainment Hotel needs upgrading to get it back to 4 star rating....it is probably a solid 3 stars as it now stands...probably a hang-over from the Pandemic closures

It started out not great because our room was not ready until 4.00pm (check-in was supposed to be at 3.00pm). The first room shown to us was on the main floor which we didn't want. In the 2nd room the WIFI didn't work. In the 3rd room where we finally stayed, the fridge wasn't working at all. Later, we found fruit flies in the room; the hair dryer didn't work at all, and the water pressure in the shower was very low. When all this was brought to the attention of Customer Service, they were quickly taken care of to our satisfaction. They compensated us (through the curtesy of the Chief Concierge, Luis Enrique) with 2 special dinners and a Spa Massage and Hydro Therapy. At the restaurants, even the resort restaurant manager (Humberto), assistant manager (Javier) always came up to greet us very warmly.

We have stayed at the Sando Caracol previously and decided to try the Playacar! Hands down the beach here is so much better than the Caracol but we preferred the set up and service at the Caracol. We purchase the Select Club Adult only each time. The Playacar does not have the same service (bartenders did not have any drink consistency or service), bar is not situated well for access, our room was only cleaned twice in a week and if you had a black wrist band (Elite Club), the staff catered to you and ignored the gold Select Club. The Italian, French and Mexican A La Cartes were great! El Gaucho the Steak house, not so much as the steak was not cooked to specifications for either of us and you had a buffet salad bar and dessert bar. Morning buffet for Select Club had a great service! The Select Club and Elite section needed better signage as it was a direct path from the middle lobby and everyone walked through (families and children) when the main pool was off another branch of the path. The rooms were ok, they could do with some updates to the furniture but overall bed was comfortable and great storage. Our fridge didn't work when we arrived but our concierge Maria (over a 2 day period) was able to get it replaced. The beach and ocean were great for 4 days of our stay, the staff cleaned the weeds all day off the beach! The Wi-Fi was amazing outdoors but not in the rooms so it was sitting on the balcony if you wanted to connect. All in all, great weather and relaxing time but disappointed in service!

Hotel was clean, restaurants had good selection of food, service was wonderful. The grounds was well maintained We had a great 7 days. The beach was clean and the ocean was wonderful when the waves was not very strong.

Beautiful resort, amazing staff, amazing beach and good food, love the location. Close to Playa del Carmen area and Playacar markets………………………………………………………………………………………….;…………………………………………………………………………………….,..,.,………

The resort grounds are lush with tropical plants. The beach is beautiful blues and turquoise. They could have had more staff present at the bars and buffets as there were lines at the pool bars and not enough staff at the buffet. There was little to no beach service even though it is advertised as such. The entertainment was good. The sports bar at night should have been adults only yet they allowed children in which was not appropriate. The room was adequate with comfortable beds and pillows. Overall we enjoyed our stay.

We stayed for 9 days, and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The concierge Viviana booked all the restaurants for us, and they were all excellent. The steakhouse was OK, they did not cook the steak very well. Buffet had a good selection, and the staff were prompt and friendly. It is a 10 minute walk to the beach, but the grounds are exceptional. Lots of green landscape, flowers and trees on your walk, plenty of shade. Lots of activities, and since there were 4 pools (some for adults only) there were always lounge chairs available. The beach is beautiful white sand that you can walk on. Playacar is in a secure location, security at all the gates to enter this neighbourhood. Several resorts within Playacar. We used the bikes one day, which are free, and biked to "5th Avenue", shopping district, which is just steps away from the Playacar gate. Entertainment was very well done as well, appropriate for children and adults. I would rate this resort a 10 overall.

The beach is amazing at Sandos Playacar, food was good, lots of drinks. What I didn't like was the entertainment, especially in the evening: the shows were scheduled at 9.30 pm. The room was big, with balcony.

The resort itself was amazing. Very friendly staff, very helpful. Lots of food options and the grounds and beaches always well-kept and clean. Unfortunately, the shuttle to and from the resort was terrible experience. Would not recommend BDExperience. When arriving we were held on platform for over an hour meanwhile being bombarded with offers of taxi rides that would get us to resort immediately. We felt we were being pressured. On leaving resort we were at the lobby an hour before schedule pickup and actually stood outside waiting. The attendant went to speak to a driver of a van and came back and said that was not our van. BD Experience said the van was there at the scheduled time. So, we had no other choice than to obtain a taxi to the airport. We feel this was a tactic to force us to use a taxi as we had a time limit to get to the airport. Please let your future customers aware of this.

This was our 4th time here over the last 20 years We’ve seen many updates and new buildings since our last visit Overall 5/5 for cleanliness, resort staff amazing and friendly Everyone had a smile Room was just perfect A lot of new little nature critters like monkeys that weren’t there a few years ago, nice to see and hard not to feed ( although clearly not recommended) Food excellent Only recommendation is to have more staff ready for big check in days at main desk Check in took 2 hours only 2 staff working and apparently main computer system was not working Would have accepted that had someone explained the situation Otherwise a great week

The grounds of the resort are stunning and well kept. The beach unfortunately had seaweeds some days worse and some days better. Food - fruits and avocados were great. Many restaurants to go to - you have to book them right away. Wi-Fi hit and miss only at the select club bars was solid. Overall, friendly and good attitude from staff. We were allowed to check out late at no extra fee.

We stayed last week in the family section. Nice large room and double sink bathroom. It’s about an 11 minute walk to the beach or you can take a cart. The path is lined with beautiful gardens and trees. The family area has a nice pool with a swim up bar. There is music but it’s more chill than the pool down at the beach. The family area is also close to the nice breakfast buffet at El Gaucho. We enjoyed the fresh omelette at breakfast, at the big buffet you can get fresh fruit smoothies. I loved the fresh mango and papaya. The small buffet at the beach is great for lunch and you sit outside with a view of the ocean. I would make myself a fresh taco salad with their amazing guacamole. The dinner buffet had a lot of variety, grilled meat and a pasta bar. I like that the pasta bar sautéed toppings like vegetables. The beach was amazing, I enjoyed walking far out on the sand bar. There are lots of chairs and some shade. Note the sun is very strong there. The burritos at the Mexican place Chitya (sp?) were also nice. The cupcake cafe was great for an early morning latte. Great place to walk around and see coatis, iguana or the resort cats. Sorry cat lovers some of the cats are shy but one let me rub their belly. Service was always good. I enjoyed water aerobics with Judith in the infinity pool. She made it fun. We took the cab ride over to Sandos Caracalla. It has a nice gentle snorkeling adventure. Nice vide in the lobby, I like how it has the open bar area.

Rooms need desperate updating. Food was average, not good but you can always find something to eat, the same stuff every day. I wouldn't call this a 4-star resort, we paid for the select club upgrade, to access premium drinks etc, don't bother because the upgraded drinks were not always available they seem to run out on a daily basis. The staff at the front desk never followed through with our requests, they say yes no problem, but nothing happens, very disappointing. The premium buffet restaurant never opens for breakfast or lunch, the main buffet was so crowded you get in and out, very poor service due to crowds. The only thing that was great was the beach, it's beautiful. We were supposed to get bar service on the beach, it didn't happen. Wifi in the room is hit and miss very poor. For the money, we spent not worth it. There are much better resorts that are true to the star rating, I will never return to this place.

Want to start with our group of 13 are experienced travellers, have been to Cuba, Dominican, and especially Mexico (10 times) So I am extremely familiar with the level of service and what is to be expected. 1. no service whatsoever, get your own drinks, even though we were club select adult area 2. 10 of 13 got food poisoning and spent the day in their rooms. 3. Monkeys although cute left feces that took days for the staff to clean up on the hand rails 4. Lawn sprinkler system uses stagnant lagoon water (strong sewage smell) and was sooooo bad it woke us up in the middle of the night on 2 occasions, absolutely brutal! 5. Pool was dirty. 6. Staff constantly ran out of premium alcohol and hid it below the counter for black wrist band folks. 7. Was lied to at the reception, told if I wanted a king size bed, I could not have a balcony, this is not true. 8. I could go on for hours, overall the resort is nice, food was good, beach is amazing but too rough for any snorkelling, but your money is better spent on resorts with much superior features and service. No one in our group intends on ever coming back.

We stayed in the Adult Only Select Club section which was perfect for us as it is the closest to the beach. We never had any issue with chairs at the beach at any time of day. The food at the buffet was plentiful and wide variety. Our fav ala carte restaurants we Le Gourmet and Gormex. Lots of nature, animals and eco friendly. Bring a drink cup/water jug and enjoy the most beautiful beach.

A couple of hiccups. The wifi was difficult to set up until the resort “reset the system”. Several calls to Guest Services were useless so i went to see them and they couldn’t connect either. Several guests were standing around with the same issue, so it was not my general ineptitude with all things high tech. Secondly the room smelled like a swamp when we arrived. The room should be aired out 24 hours before a guest arrives. After the second day the smell was gone as we were able to air it out ourselves by leaving the patio door open and running the HVAC controls on high. The room and resort were quite fine and the staff were very nice. The food was mediocre but there was lots available . We are not “foodies” by any means. Beautiful beach and pool area that were always kept clean. Very happy with our interactions with Trip Central and in general the Air Transat experience. I wouldn’t go back but I would use your services again. gary and bertha

The beach was amazing, definitely a selling feature of the resort. Nice pools, few different options. The food was ok/good, definitely not great. The room was nice, we stayed in the adult only section which I’d definitely recommend if you’re travelling without children. I wish there would have been more day time entertainment. Evening entertainment was hit and miss.

The hotel is impressive as soon as you step into the main lobby. Check-in was easy and room was ready when they said it would be. Room was as requested by Debbie - higher floor, ocean view. The Adult only section was a great recommendation by Debbie. No issue in finding chairs at either the pool or the beach. Grounds were clean. A La carte, no reservations needed, were a great highlight to end each day. The Cup Cake Cafe satisfied when looking for various types of coffees day or night. Will return again

Everything including the people were amazing! very clean rooms, food great and the people great! Only thing was the bus ride from the airport was long it was 2 1/2 hrs. But other than that things were great!

This resort is massive. We were in the adults select section which is nicely situated close to the beach. The beach is beautiful with white sand and clear blue water. Until the seaweed came on day 4. The resort works hard to keep it cleaned up. Not their fault, just Mother Nature. The king room with a Juliet balcony over looked the pool and had everything we needed, but could use some updating. There was no shortage of food. Good buffet with many choices. The specialty restaurants were nice, favourite would be the French. The burrito shop was a hit, we went there 3 times and they were the best burritos ever. Entertainment was great, shows were good. We went to the spa twice and the staff there were amazing. Best massage ever. I would recommend this resort.

Just returned from a week at Sandos Playacar we did the select club (adults only) The entire hotel grounds are beautiful. Every staff member we spoke with was helpful and always asking if they could do anything else for you. My reviews tend to be long so I’ll try to break it down so you can just skip to what you’re looking for. Check in- Was faster and easier than at any other resort I’ve been to. Walked in got handed a drink the woman at the counter finished with the couple in front of us asked our names and if we wanted a stronger drink! She ordered us 2 Margarita’s and someone brought them over from the bar she put our bracelets (*room key is on your bracelet and is a great idea I never had to worry about carrying a room key or losing it LOVED THIS) on and introduced us to a guy that was there for the upsell. We actually agreed to go on the “elite upsell tour” and were promised 2 50 minute massages. Did the tour the next morning it’s 90 mins the first 30 you just eat breakfast with the lady and talk then we were shown the construction and new area on the beach and the elite haciendas we came back and sat down to talk $. We told them it wasn’t for us at this time and they weren’t pushy at all she calls the manager over he offers another smaller package and we said no and they gave us our vouchers for massage. This wasn’t an unpleasant experience at all it was actually nice to walk the grounds with her because she showed us stuff we probably wouldn’t have found on our own and what we had access to and what we didn’t. The voucher said 2 relaxing massages and you could upgrade them if you wanted I thought they would be pathetic lightly rubbing massages and they weren’t at all they were amazing massages right on the beach very much like I get from my RMT at home it was absolutely worth our time to do this. Beach - amazing huge white sand beach in the select club area with lots of seating maybe not all had shade but the sun moves and lots of people just moved their seats either in or out of the sun. The select club never seemed to have much for "entertainment" The days we were there they had darts for about 30 mins, a stretching class and a very small very inactive dance thing going on. We went over to the family section of the beach a couple of times thinking maybe that's where the entertainment was but everything is like island time and if it says 11am they didn't start setting up until 11:30 or 11:45 and did it very slowly still no music or high energy anything. Pools - The adult pool is BORING if you are looking for a very quiet relaxing vacation you'll love it it's just not for us. There is never any music being played the only "entertainment" there was bingo or water aerobics. There is a small shallow pool with a ping pong table in it that was fun and a pool with a volleyball net that's never used they seem to use that pool for scuba lessons. Also it doesn't have a swim up bar. The pool in the family section (old adult section) is where it’s at. There is a swim up bar and tons of seating didn’t matter what time we got there we could always get chairs. People here were having way more fun volleyball was always being played some people had their own speakers and at the far end away from the bar is a shallow pool where most of the little kids played. The New Area - We went over here looking for entertainment and found that beach has a shortage of seating especially with any kind of shade. The pools over here are the elite "black bracelet" the kids water park and another pool with a swim up bar. It was crammed over here and unless you do the 6am towel on chair thing you probably weren't getting one because there wasn't many. They do serve a lunch here but they didn't cook hotdogs or hamburgers unless they were ordered so you had to wait but they had ribs and chicken cooking the whole time it was just weird and caused a jam up of kids waiting for burgers or dogs for 15 mins. A La Cartes – We tried the Brazilian, the steakhouse and the Asian. All were amazing! Not sure why people complained about waiting we were told the one night the Asian would be an hour wait there is a bar upstairs you can go have a drink at and wait we decided to just try another because it was already almost 8 and come back at 6 the next night. We walked around the corner to the Brazilian and walked right in we were served by Carlos for the night and he was Amazing! The steakhouse we went around 7:30 and got right in. The Asian seems to be the busy one that you want to go at 6 and sign in when we went back the next night and were sent right in. Dress code is very weird A family ahead of us at the Asian the man was told he couldn’t wear his sandals in they were almost like Birkenstocks and nice looking my boyfriend was allowed to wear his because they had a back strap??? Basically no dress code for women but men couldn’t wear thong sandals. They could however be in t-shirts and backwards hats with running shoes on. Which I really don’t care they’re on vacation too but to make men run back to their rooms to get running shoes on or strapped sandals didn’t make any sense. This also seemed to be the only restaurant that enforced any kind of dress code. Buffets – Were great with lots of food choices. Breakfast was awesome and never any shortage of bacon like I’ve seen at other resorts. Food wasn’t always as hot as I like it but that was the only downfall you could always just wait until they refilled something you wanted it happened often. Cupcake Café and Burrito Place – I don’t drink coffee but my boyfriend went every morning and loved it there were lots of choices and the girls working there were always very sweet and worked fast when it was busy. The cupcakes were delicious as well. The Burrito Place I can’t remember the name of but it’s right next door was amazing we ate lunch and late snacks there a few different days!!! Staff and food was awesome here Bars – The beach/pool bar in the select area could use more staff they were always getting slammed and people lining up. The premium bars in the meeting place and main lobby were excellent big shout out to Rodrigo at the meeting place premium bar for making the most delicious Miami Vice’s ever and lots of them! Rooms –This was a downfall for me. The select club rooms are in a great area close to the beach but they need some work. No lamps on the nightstands and only 1 plug beside the bed and one in the bathroom (these aren’t double outlets it’s literally 1 I had read this in a review and brought one of those plugs that turns 2 into 6 but couldn’t use it so bring a power bar). The nightstands are also solid so no drawers there are only 3 small drawers on the table with the TV. There is a coffee maker there also that you would have to move to an outlet to use. It really just takes up space as I didn’t meet anyone that used it because of the Cupcake café they could go to. Housekeeping was a little lacking and typically cleans like a teenager basically if they don’t think mom would see it they skip it. There was a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket and a plate with 2 chocolate covered strawberries wrapped in saran wrap that we didn’t eat or drink. The plate sat there for 5 days with the fruit rotting. Mirrors were never wiped down and had splatters from people brushing their teeth from before us that were still there when we left. Counters weren’t always wiped. I think the housekeeping has too many rooms each and that’s why they don’t have time to do everything properly. The fridge was supposed to be restocked every 2 days but was only once during the week. I just asked the guy at the premium bar for a can of sprite every day and put it in myself. People that complain about the walk. It’s literally 5 mins from the beach to the family pool area past the reception. We took the trolley twice. Once because they stopped and picked us up on our walk because it started raining. They run multiple trolley’s back and forth all day so I don’t understand what people’s problem is with this. The walk is beautiful with lots to look at I stopped every day and visited the Donkey. And right outside our balcony one day was a bunch of monkeys we counted 9 come in from the side and then realized more were coming from the roof right above our balcony along the walk you could hear them and if you looked you could find them hanging in the trees. All in all because of the lack of more lively entertainment (games, sports, music etc.) this probably isn’t the resort for us at least until everything is finished. I would very much consider Sandos again when looking for future vacations.

First of all, I would like to thank Trip Central for the best travel website ever. Janet, the agent is highly professional and honest. I shared my positive experience with all my friends and family, even with other guests at different resorts. Way to go tripcentral.ca! Sandos Playacar is our second Sandos experience. I fell in love with this chain. My husband and I just came back from this wonderful resort. The lobby is very impressive and already promising a great stay, the check in and out was quick. I was disappointed with a room at first as it's old, but I Leticia made sure that it's always clean and tidy. Most of all, there is no musty smell which is very rare. The bed was super comfortable and I slept better than anywhere else. The adult pool and the beach are very relaxing, nice and clean. The ground is beautiful. The Festival (buffet) restaurant is specious, and the food is to die for. Mariza is our favourite waiter, very hard working, highly professional and kind. Also, Domingo vas very impressive by remembering our wine choice after just one service. We went to Italian and French restaurants to dinner and both were very good. My favourite place was a Cupcake café, delicious coffee and treats. The entertainment was very good, we enjoyed very good shows following the live music every night. Great job Sandos, we are planning to come back soon!

The beach is amazing, clean and not crowded. The staff without exceptions makes the experience special, they are always smiling and happy to help with anything you need. The Select club bar in the lobby have better drinks them the other ones on the beach, I recommend a visit. The adult section is located in the front of the resort close to the beach, although not renovated, the room was clean and equipped with the amenities we needed. The Mex restaurant was our preferred, delicious food and no big lines.The Argentinian has tasty steaks and deserve a visit as well. If you don't want to wait for dinner, the buffet is always a good choice There is a bar on the beach with good snacks and a server who brings drinks all the time, nothing better than this Sandos is a good size resort with enough space and activities to keep you entertained without the massive crowds of other big hotels

This resort has beautifully manicured gardens and the general grounds are very well maintained. It is a very deep narrow resort with a lot of walking. We enjoyed our daily commute to the beach (8 mins) but it would be tiring for young kids or elderly and in which case there were golf buggies to take people around the resort. The pools were in very good shape ... no cracked tiles etc and grout generally very clean. As with many resort rooms, it did smell musty but got used to it. The room we had was near the main lobby and was quite spacious. It had louvered panels between the bathroom and bed area which was aesthetically pleasing but if you needed to use the bathroom at night the entire room lit up for those sleeping. I really appreciated the efforts on the resort to minimize garbage... NO STRAWS! and they reused the drink cups several times for those guests who did not bring insulated mugs from home. Single use water bottles were nearly non existent as well. Water cooler jugs were in each room however it would be ideal to bring a reusable water bottle from home to take water with you when you were out of your room. The buffet had so many options to choose from at breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as a variety gluten free products. The a la carte restaurants were very nice too. No complaints about any of the food! The only small complaint would be that I read somewhere that the resort was 60 kms from the airport which is a little deceiving. Our mini-van trip from the airport to the resort was over a 90 min commute with stops along the way to drop other guests at different resorts.

Sandos Playacar resort was amazing in every way!! We loved the gorgeous beaches and pools! The adult areas were superior and the staff were so friendly and professional. The restaurants were amazing too and every meal was so delicious! Not one complaint here. We loved it and cannot wait to go back!!

We stayed for a week at this resort over March Break. It was clean and eco-friendly. We had issues the first morning with our shower and our toilet but they were quick to respond and resolve with no further issues. There is an opening with shutters from the bathroom into the bedroom which is inconvenient but not a deal breaker. You couldn't see through but the light shone through from the bath to the bedroom which is disruptive at night. Lots of choices for restaurants so we could eat at a different place daily and the food was quite good with lots of healthy options. Staff were all friendly, no matter who it was, everyone said hello. The attempt to sell you on the Royal Elite program was a nuisance but I gather happens at all resorts. Overall a great week!

Trip Central and Air Canada were excellent, booking and flights were without hassle and on time. However, beware of the fine print. Having stayed in a number of Adult Only Resorts, this Sandos advertises an adult only section,which is accurate. But, they fail to mention that the restaurants are not adult only. In fact my wife and I sat next to a screaming child at dinner one evening. Don't go here if you are expecting an adult only experience. Also, I don't understand why there was canned beer in my room, and available at 2 Select Club bars, but the bartenders refused to give us canned beer at the beach or pool? The final item which I detested was the seemingly endless sales pitch by the Sandos staff. First of all, they ask you to visit the "travel desk" to book return transportation to the airport, but the real intent is to sell you an excursion. They also ask you to visit guest services for a tour of the resort, again, the real intent is to sell you a time-share. Same deal at the pool, always being asked to go on a boat trip or get a massage. I don't want to be bothered on vacation, they should make you aware of the amenities, but not ask everyday.

Sandos Playacar is an amazing resort. It's beautiful - everywhere. The beaches are spectular as are the pools and grounds. It's property, grounds, pools and buildings are spacious, the restaurants are fantastic and the staff are welcoming, warm and attentive. Our first visit at the beginning the first of March 2019 and we are already planning on getting a group together for next year!

I found the staff to be friendly and helpful. The food was fine and the beach was fabulous. For me though, the evening shows were hit and miss but I was there for the day time. All in all, a good week.

All amenities were amazing, couldn’t ask for better food. The service was great and everyone so friendly. The nightly shows were awesome, there’s some talent out there! I would recommend this resort. Had a really great time!

Lovely place , nice location on the beach , cafes buffet , bbq cooking by the pool and 5 al carte were super!!!something for all The evening shows were well done Large complex with beautifully maintained grounds

First the bad... We read that the resort had bicycles. We love to ride and looked forward to riding a lot. Unfortunately, the bicycles are terrible !! They all have very small frames, so the seat has to be jacked up very high. The bars are very low, so the resulting ergonomics are extremely punishing. So much so that we could only ride a few minutes before it was painful. We are not large people. I'm 5'8" and my girlfriend is even shorter. So forget riding any distance if you are any bigger than us. We thought that we would use the bicycles in the gym, but there was NO bicycles in the gym. Unbelievable !! There were stationary bicycles in an area devoted to spin classes but we were not allowed to use them unless we were there at a specific time for a class. This was very disappointing. Also, at every resort we have stayed at over the last 5 years, water peddle boats were available. NOT HERE. So no luck trying to get any bicycle exercise. This is important for me as I have bad knees. Now the good... We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at this resort. First time in Mexico for us. The food was great. We found the serving staff to be friendly and enjoyable to talk to. The large beach area was kept clean by a machine that cleaned the sand every morning before sunrise. Went to one show, Michael Jackson tribute. Very good ! We spent a lot of time using the watersports equipment. We enjoyed using the kayaks, but the big hit for us was learning how to sail the Hobie Cat Catamaran. After a short lesson from Gilberto I was able to sail confidently. My girlfriend and I spent a fair amount of time sailing in the beautiful blue waters of the Caribbean. This was heaven !! Can't say enough about the great watersports staff that we spent a lot of time with on the beach. They were very friendly towards us. We felt they were taking good care of us and watching out for our safety. Hats off to the watersports crew... Armin, Jorge, Gilberto, and Marcello. You guys are the BEST !!

This was an amazing resort from staff , grounds , rooms , entertainment , landscape , food and facilities . I have been 8 times to Mexico and this was a resort that left me impressed , I absolutely have not one complaint . The staff was very friendly fast and efficient , the beach was stunning as well as no seaweed . The kids club is definitely worth it if you have kids , staff very kind and friendly and just impressive all around . I can’t express how pleasantly I was jmpressed by absolutely everything . We traveled with my 17 month daughter and I felt very comfortable with everything they had to offer for families . I would recommend this place to anyone who wants a fun yet relaxing vacation with out without the family as it can cater to both and yes the beach and night entertainment is the best I have seen so far in the Caribbean , always music , games and waiters at the beach ready to make your experience a memorable one

Food was good and as long as you headed to dinner before 7, was ok to get into all of the a la carte restaurants. Beach was fabulous but the Elite Club took over the section closest to the resort along with the main pool so everyday we had to walk past to get to and from. The pool in the family section by the beach was nice but they didn’t have a proper food offering there so you had to leave the beach to eat lunch. Pools were also not heated so getting in was “brisk”. Rooms were a good size and sufficiently appointed but not luxurious. We were with our (almost) adult children and their room was close but they didn’t give us adjoining rooms which was irritating. Staff was uniformly pleasant and helpful and it was a short trip into Playa del Carmen if you wanted to venture in. The town is very built up and touristy so not much authentic Mexican culture to be found there. Overall it was a very good vacation and we definitely enjoyed ourselves and we would go back, but would probably look at other options first.

A long review but hopefully helpful. :) I visited this resort in November for 7 days with my husband and 2 other couples.We booked here to celebrate my 50th birthday. I cannot say enough about the service we received! A huge shout out to Lizeth,(she is the web relations person I spoke to before we arrived). As she went above and beyond to help us have the perfect vacation. First,she responded promptly to my email before we arrived, then she called our room on the day after we arrived to make sure we enjoyed the decorations they had placed for me.(They had many balloons decorating the walls and ceiling, as well as a towel cake complete with confetti on our bed. Beautiful!!!! ❤ On the table sat a fresh fruit tray,a bottle of tequila,a bottle of sparkling champagne with 2 flute glasses,along with chocolate covered strawberries! Who could ask for more?!) She also called on two other occasions to make sure we were comfortable and had everything we needed to make our vacation perfect. Sandos is very lucky to have her as their representative on the web. Thank you so much Lizeth!! 😘😍 Extremely professional and attentive staff in all other areas of this resort as well. We stayed in the Select Club area which was changing to the Family area during our week.The rooms here were spotless and we had a great view of the pool from or second floor balcony.It is about 11 mins to walk from here to the beach but there is so much to see on the way that it feels much faster. They have a cat cafe which is a fantastic idea,as well as a rescued donkey and sheep.There were also many inspiration quotes carved into wood that were a pleasure to read on the walk. The grounds are beautifully maintained so this helped make the scenery a joy here. Our maid was Liliana and she made beautiful towel art every day as well as kept our room clean. Thank you Liliana! 😘 We loved the adults only breakfast buffet and the choice to use the main buffet if desired. All of the food was great.Many options.We ate at the Italian a la carte twice,The Asiana,the Steakhouse and the French.All were great but our fave was the Italian. We loved having the chance to visit the Palm Bay resort next door that was under construction during our stay. Their water park and pools are fantastic and it will be great once finished! All the bartenders were friendly and smiling but we loved the premium bars the most! Great top shelf liquor as well as service. We also loved the Cupcake cafe,you have to try it....awesome desserts and fabulous coffee/espresso/latte options. Yummy!! The shows were great! We LOVED the AC DC tribute band as well as the Michael Jackson and Shakira shows. Lastly,the beach is GORGEOUS!!!! Clear blue water,wide sandy area where you can walk for miles! Also many activities for all to enjoy! I know I have forgotten some things but this review has to stop at some point. I never visit a resort twice but this is definitely one that I will make an exception for. This was our first experience with the Sandos hotels and it was remarkable!! Thank you Sandos Playacar!! We will definitely look for more Sandos resorts for our next vacation!

The hotel, service, food and staff were so great. Our room was kept very clean and the condiments and bathroom supplies were replenished daily. The food at the various restaurants was really good most of the time. Some evenings the restaurant staff seemed overwhelmed by the crowd of guests and the food suffered on these evenings. My only complaint was the staff and charges from the Spa. Spa staff walked around the pool area requested we buy services such as pedicures, manicures and massages. They assured us if we called #39 and cancelled we wouldn't be charged. Surprise, as we checked out we were charged for all Spa services even if we called to cancel them. The reception staff were able to sort things for us but it was anxious times as we tried to check out.

Nice greens and well maintained by gardeners. Drawback for resort is a massive construction( resort is building additional rooms, over 300 of them but this information is not available during the booking. It is dishonesty and unfair to people booking vacation. Resort and Tripcentral should have this info posted. We ended up in the room with view on construction. Our balcony and partial ocean view was useless because of construction noise. Other bad experience: resort made changes of building locations for families and adults only, but didn't manage to get all information maps on the resort grounds and printed maps in the rooms to up date with all those changes. Shame!!! I would not recommend this resort until all construction is completed

I was looking for this resort couple years to book./ The price sometime high for my budget/. It always was good feedback, and people satisfaction. Then we come on Dec. 3.2018 and get negative feeling. It is excellent room, even far from beach, but we do not mind with husband to walk or drive. Good buffet, food, entertainment. Nice ocean, and sand. Just the location of new beach is terrible. As someone tell me, it was changed just on Dec 1. 2018, then we was unlucky. All family with children, elderly, who has regular booked trip, was directed on the new beach, that located quite far on the Right side, from central area. There was noisy contraction, just sand, with many umbrellas, but any trees, palms. Two days was windy, and sand was in the air, you not able to stay there. Also security not allow regular customers to cross area on the middle of resort to exit to the beach. Only for Royal Service. And staff was quite rude, when I ask one time to go through , for some urgent matter . I feel offensive , because main beach, that include 2 big part with many schezlongs, was empty on the 75%. But it was no place for other people. We share out feelings with other tourist from England, Russia, USA. Some of them already was in Sandos before, and come second, third time. But tell: will not come again. I am not like new rules, and service changed. Not advice to go there, at least you can afford Royal service for self. There is a lot of nearby Resorts, that not divide customers such in 2 very visible, different groups. Management has to warning customers, that it is changed in location of beach. Then, if I buy vacation with warning I will have no issue.

Great hotel once you upgrade to Adult only section ( at a cost). The beach area for families and others is well down the beach from the resort, thus if you want to remain near the resort and take advantage of the mature shade trees and cabanas you must upgrade to Adult only.

Loved the whole area, restaurants were great. A bit of trouble with room service ie cleaning but we worked it out. Lovely rooms . A bit of confursion getting on our ride to the hotel but it was very busy so was expected. All in all had a great time

The hotel was amazingly huge, lots of greenery, walking pathway resting places and lovely decorations everywhere. The food was lovely and the alacart restaurants were amazing, all the bars and coffee shops were in the right places and the staff and their service was lovely. I loved the room and all the pools, beautiful beach, lobby shops I am definitely going back some day soon.

Sandos playacar resort 2nd visit in 2 years There were pluses and minuses to this trip this time Pluses Food was great everywhere! Housekeeping was fabulous We appreciated the added security at beach that kept the locals from being to pushy with their goods no was no and they were told to move along Bartenders were great! Minuses The spa staff...you are constantly spoke to about spa packages, some are.good they recognize you and carry on but the one thing that really got me is you are constantly seeing them at the beach and at the pool but for them to come in the restaurant when your eating breakfast that was just over the top for me I understand they are promoting and more than likely getting a commission from their "sale" but there needs to be boundaries. The adult pool last time we were there there was usually 2 bartenders 1 server and in the afternoon would be entertainment/games and some good music - it's not this way anymore there were no games etc the bartenders are absolutely fabulous love them to pieces they are doing then work of many people having that added entertainment guy certainly helped last time he helped keep control over the pool this year many "pool rules" were constantly broken and you can't expect the bartenders to see & stop it... we like to have a good time games and entertainment add the fun aspect not just pounding back as much booze as humanly possible and unfortunately for us this was lacking this trip, we very much missed David E (congrats on your promotion) The shuttle service from adult side to main area by beach - sometimes it's good often times it's not, it is a long walk definetly room for improvement with the much needed service but much appreciated when we were able to use it. A heart felt thank you to Fabian, Mario, & Luis for their excellent service & spanish lessons at the adult pool LOL!

This was a very huge resort. We stayed at the adult only which was the furthest from the beach. It’s a nice walk when the sun is not beating down on you. Lots of seedweed so we spent our time around the pool. The rooms are spacious and comfortable. The food was very disappointing We found we were better off eating at the buffet. Staff were nice and friendly. Barely makes a 4 star. Unfortunately we won’t return. Plus side we didn’t gain any weight, food was not good and we walked so much. Lol

The architecture, grounds and gardens are very nice. The restaurants and food are very good. The pools and beach are excellent with lots of thatched umbrellas that provides a choice of sun or shade. We had a great time.

Positive: beautiful beach (resort is on a wide and very long stretch of sand, crystal clear water), lots of shade and lounge chairs in the adults only section of the beach, great food, lots of restaurant choices, attentive and friendly service, we stayed in the old section of the resort which was the closest to the beach and the room was more than adequate although a little dated. Negative: insufficient frequency and capacity of shuttle service within the resort (which can be a problem for a resort this big with 1000 rooms), they have a beautiful spa but the jacuzzi is always lukewarm instead of the 32 degrees they advertise, there is no wi-fi in the rooms and very poor wi-fi in the public areas, the minute you arrive they book you for a presentation to try to sell you the resort membership program (in exchange for attending the presentation we were upgraded to a "golden" bracelet which gave us access to the adults-only section of the beach), this is a family resort that caters to children so there were lots and lots of kids everywhere, we did not have access to the "members only" areas of the pool and the beach which was annoying.

Our family of four spent a week at the Sandos Playacar at the end of November. The Playacar Beach is fabulous, and we have previously stayed at other resorts in this area, without kids at the time, so our priorities for resort were different this time. Sandos Playacar was good value for our family vacation, with good quality food in both the buffet and a la carte restaurants. It is a very activity-oriented resort, with entertainment staff keeping things going on the beach from 10 am to 4 pm every day of the week, every day with a different themed beach experience. Other travelers might have loved this, but for our family of four, we would have liked having a quiet day on the beach, or a shorter program where there are a couple hours of sunlight available where it is quiet by the beach chairs. There was always music, games, and noise right in front of the section of the beach set aside for families, which got tiresome after about day 4. The beach section rooms are very conveniently located right where the main pool, beach, and buffet restaurant is, and from previous reviews, we knew they were tired and worn out, so it was something we were prepared to live with. Our boys (aged 6 and 8 years old) liked the arcade games. Overall a good choice for our family vacation.

This resort is beautiful, the room was very clean and the staff was beyond amazing!!!! I loved the fact that there was so much to do on the beach for activities! Highly recommend this place!! We can't wait to visit again !

The resort improved it's food, took away the annoying reservation system, improved it's shows and the show location. The beach and pools are amazing! Drinks and staff awesome. Only complaint: the rooms in the beach section are getting a little tired.

This resort was HUGE. There is usually only one trolley going at one time so there is sometimes a wait. The food was a little disappointing. At the Asianz and french restaurants the food was very good and, more importantly, hot. In the other ones the food was usually lukewarm, not hot. The rooms were ok, a little tired but clean. Some of our linens had rips in them and stains on the duvet. The staff was great and Fabian the swim up barkeeper was great. He remembered what you liked to drink and had it real for you. The adult only section was ok but there was only about 15 feet from the family rooms. It was ok but you could hear the kids sometimes.

This was our second stay at sandos playacar and it didn't disappoint. The layout of the resort is incredible with a little something for everyone. The beach is unbeatable and the staff are absolutely fantastic! Highly recommend.

The hotel itself is lovely, no different from other resorts we have stayed at. The beach is lovely and the entertainment was good. The best part for us was the friendly staff. They really made the difference. We went with our almost one year old son and the staff was so great with him.

Very nice place had a great time!! Rooms are nice big and clean. Resort is big nice walk path to beach, would take about 10 minutes. Beautiful beach. They should improve on the night entertainment shows are not great. The service and food was very good.

PROS - beach was beautiful - food at buffet was fantastic - staff and service phenomenal - very attentive to detail (especially for wedding couple) - entertainment was different every night and very well orchestrated CONS - rooms are dated, had to be moved 2x (air condition was low, and huge tree obstruction on balcony) - resort was huge, front lobby to beach/pool was too far, very inconvienent - music at pool was poorly set up, and entertainment at beach was mediocore Overall, a very good experience for friends and families, and especially for Wedding, the wedding coordinator did an amazing job and the actual wedding day went as perfect can be and was beautifully set up (very impressed with wedding day) Manny.

The beach was large and had lots of chairs and space (the resort was quite empty) The food was good, the burrito and crepe place was amazing but the buffet had cheap meat but lots of options and a good breakfast. The overall service and feel was poor, half the staff was not very happy or accommodating, if you showed up a minute late or anything they would not serve you. This was one of the weaker points of the resort for sure. We only had the bottom tier bracelet but really a third of the resort is for higher tier customers, which was annoying even though it wasn't a big deal. The rooms were kinda run of the mill, same as every other okay resort. We did have an incident where some woman's panties (clearly not mine as I am petite and they were large) appeared hanging in our bathroom while my hisband and I were out in the morning, which was quite disturbing. The rooms were adjoining so we were not sure if it was staff or other guests but we were not pleased. Either way, after expressing our extreme disgust and numerous complaints we were moved (well we moved ourselves and packed everything up - how fun) to move to a higher tier section of the resort. The room was almost identical and I think we got to go to another smaller buffet in the morning but I really don't think there was a difference. Also some staff memever between me arriving on the bus to going to my room broke my suitcase (the handle could no longer be pulled out to roll so now it's trash) so that's another negative. All in all I think this is a meh resort, wasn't worth what I paid but kinda what you expect from this price point in Mexico. I will not be going back.

I have mixed feelings. First of all, I read a lot of reviews but I should have listened when people told me about the layout. The resort is pretty big, I was at location 1206 so not bad since the buffet, pool and cart stop was beside me. Kinda of central location. Other rooms I found too far. I noticed some stairs had no handrails and at certain places a little hilly for me. If you have bone problems, walking might be difficult. I would have preferred a smaller resort. Plus the little carts can't hold more than 7 people and if you have to wait, it might be line 15 mins. The food was so so, you'll find your regular buffet. I only went to the main buffet most of the time. Entertainment was good. Live band/ singers. A little better than usual resorts. Café was good for coffee but didn't like the cakes/ frosting - no much taste. Some were ok like pineapple cake, cookies, ice cream. I would say if you have to buy something just walk done the road to where starbucks is and the have lots of shops and good prices. Also go to 5th avenue and there is lots of selection. Go later in the afternoon when the sun goes down. To end it off. The bus never came to pick me up to take me to the airport. I asked the reception to find out why and BD Travel bus carrier ended up sending someone else to take me to the airport. It was a bad experience because he was racing to the airport and get me there on time. I got there at 9:05 am and my flight was leaving at 10:40 am. I won't be visiting this resort again because it is too big for me, too hilly, no handrails and distance was about hour drive from the airport.

The hotel was beautiful. The staff were exceptional with any questions we had . The food was good ! The beach was beyond and my whole experience was amazing . I recommend sandos to any family looking for a place to stay!

The grounds from the beautiful sand beach and turquoise ocean to the well designed and pruned gardens surrounding the properties were incredible. Pathways were beautifully lit in the evening and Cozumel sparkled, across the ocean, in the dark night sky. The staff were very attentive and helpful, from arrival to departure. The dining staff were very professional and attentive. Thank you to our waitress at the Asian ala carte for recommending a dessert......heavenly!!!! Thank you to maintenance, (there were a few small problems with our room), all was taken care of promptly and effectively. We made use of many of the different food venues and found all to be excellent. Coming from Nova Scotia and being a lover of seafood, I must say....I could live there forever and eat nothing but the seafood...it was amazingly prepared by your chefs. Did not always recognize the type of fish but was never disappointed...soooo delicious. Memories: Happy children everywhere. Amazing beach. Fantastic shows Delicious food. Romantic evenings. Whether you are a couple or a family, this resort has it all. We had a great time, and would recommend Sandos Playacar to others.

We are in our 40s with two boys (7 and 4 ½ years old) and we travel at least once a year during the winter to the Caribbean to All Inclusive resorts. We stayed on room 8316 from Sunday Feb 5 to Sunday Feb 12. I would start with the positives: Some members of their team that made our trip more enjoyable - Jorge Ruiz from the Brazilian restaurant: Awesome customer service skills. Organized a big celebration for my son’s 7’s birthday. Thank you for that!! It made our trip. - Alfonso, our server at the Brazilian restaurant: he worked with Jorge really hard to put together something different for us. - Monica, from Asiana: after a survey I completed with her she tried to improve our stay at the hotel; booked for us many restaurants and escalated my concerns and complaints to Ingrid (Manager of Guest Services). Thank you for looking after us. - Guadalupe: looked after our room and she was awesome and tried to solve all the issues we had in our room! - Luciano, from the Mexican restaurant: Again, great service and great recommendations - Raquel Avalos Arias, in the main buffet: she looked after us almost every day and her service and attitude toward us was always excellent - There was a pregnant lady (I don’t remember her name) at 8.00 am who was the only one that knew better how to prepare a good espresso at the Cupcake Café. Thank you for allowing me to have a least one good espresso every morning. Best restaurants (food and drinks): 1- Mexican 2- El Gaucho and Il Piemonte 3- La bambola (awesome creppes) 4- Chayita (awesome burritos) 4- El Agave Blue Bar (better service than in most other places) 5- Riviera Blue Worst restaurants (food and drinks): 1- Asiana 2- Le Gourmet 3- Fogo de Janeiro 4- Cupcake Café (coffee was terrible, I believe training was not provided to the baristas and they are the ones suffering the consequences with reviews like this one) 5- Iztapalapa (drinks have been in general the worst I ever had in any resort I have ever been to; watered down, with a lot of sugar or a sweet syrup, lemon juice, awful, even beer in many cases was warm. No complaints to the barman as he was almost the only one service 100 of customers a day, so Kuddos to him but Sandos should allocate more resources to this bar and team) Amenities: Spa and Gym I would consider good and within my expectations. Use the Gym early mornings 3 or 4 times and the spa during the pm 2 times. Kids club: It was good and our kids loved the Lite Teens Club. Nightly Entertainment / shows: We loved most of them and I thank you the entertainment team for all the hard work. Beach was nice with a lot of entertainment. The family pool beside the Riviera Blue was super clean but the one located beside the beach, overcrowded, slippery and not that clean. Rooms: We were on the family area and rooms are way overdue a renovation. The other issue and most important one is that their A/C system is gone and have to be replaced. They now this as they put dehumidifiers in many rooms guests complaint about a smelly and damp room. As a matter of fact, they were replacing A/C units in at last three or four rooms in the first floor of our area. My in laws were on the Adult’s only area and their room looked exactly like ours but worst because their A/C seemed to not work at all. Fridges don’t cool down and need to be replaced. Both my in laws and ours had the same issue. Iron didn’t work and needed to be replaced as well. Management: On the positive side, they reacted to any issue we had on the bad side, it seems to be that they react to problems instead of try to avoid them. The staff from the Members club were annoying, they called our room every day at 8.00 am asking how everything was going trying to sell us a membership to the point I needed to asked and the guest services office that we didn’t want to be bother; next morning, they called again… Finally, first and last impressions I believe matter. The best scotch they have available even in the members club bars were Johnnie Walker Red Label Scotch Whisky or Ballantines (first impression from the bars). We left Sunday evening and they gave us a courtesy room to shower and change in the Adults only area: the room was durty, with only two dry towels and all other towels wet on the batroom floor, really it looked disgusting. (last impression). Would I return? Well, I really feel bad for all the good people that work at the hotel but I believe I would not go back until they upgrade the rooms, and make some changes.

We stayed at Sandos Playacar for 7 days in January. The highlight of this resort is the fabulous beach. It is beautiful - lovely sand, shallow water and located next to a treed area on one side of the resort which creates a quiet, unpopulated area for walking and exploring. The rooms at this resort are ok, the beds are reasonably comfortable and the rooms were kept clean. We were told we would be on the 2nd floor, which was the case from the back but the room was a walk-out, so really on the first floor. We asked for a change as we always find first floor rooms noisier but the hotel was not able to accommodate us. It was noisy some nights with rowdy party-goers heading back to their rooms, although it didn't last too long as they eventually moved on. The pool was often crowded and didn't seem to be large enough for the size of the resort. My husband did a scuba lesson which started in the pool and after going underwater with a mask on he refused to go back in the pool again - said it was so dirty and that they needed a filtration system. Likely has something to do with the load on the pool being more than it could handle. There is a lot of activity going on during the day and the activity coordinators did a good job of getting people up and involved in whatever games or dance thing they were doing. It is a very fun and lively atmosphere and the music was always going. We did take advantage of the water sports - kayaks, snorkle gear, stand up paddle boards and simple sail boats. The guys at the water sports shack were great. I think some of the restaurants were being renovated when we were there and some of the locations were being switched around. The French and Mexican a la carte restaurants were our favourite. The Italian was pretty good but the Asian was only ok. We checked out the Brazilian and Steak house which seemed to be sharing a location that looked like a cafeteria with no view or ambience. We did not eat there. The buffet restaurant had been recently reopened after being renovated and offered a lot of options and the food was generally quite good although there was a tendancy to overcook the chicken and pork. Go for the seafood - that was always well done. Overall, we had a good time and it is a good choice of resort in this area with a reasonable price point.

Resort was great a bit big but shuttle service available distance from farthest room to beach is approximately.8 Km. Great for working off excess calories there is a donkey and goat enclosure as well as cat cafe along the way. All amenities are in between. Al la cartes were delicious and beach was an absolute 10. Could walk or bike to town very safe tourists everywhere it's about 2.5 km. Great shopping and local fare. Would definitely return to this resort again was there 10 years ago but won't wait that long again. Happy holidays!

The Hotel was huge. Loved the coffee and cupcake shops, and the burrito restaurant. The 3 sit down restaurants wernt great but wernt bad either. No real entertainment during the day which was disappointing.

We stayed for 1 week. We ended up very ill on the 3rd day of our stay and still continue to be sick 2 days after our return. Not sure if it was the resorts fault or not. Other than that, the resort was ok. The restaurants were not fantastic but they were not terrible either. The Italian was our favourite and El Goucho was probably our least favourite. The preferred club buffet was the best place for breakfast. We ate at the regular buffet the first morning and never returned. It was super busy, hot, and the food wasn't refreshed often as most dishes were empty. The preferred one was always fresh and tasted good. The wait staff around the preferred club pool were fantastic! David was amazing. He always brought us a drink as soon as he saw us. He always had a smile on his face and was joking around. It never felt as though he was brushing you off to run and do his job. It was great for the extra personal touch. The rooms were basic rooms. We stayed preferred adult only section. We had our room cleaned every day and every day except the last, where someone else did it, it was amazing. She did a wonderful job. We even ended up with a couple of towel art on the bed which were great. The ice machine was broke so we had to call front desk for some and they delivered quickly. We called room service with no luck but when we called guest services we got what we wanted right away. Just a side note for anyone calling, call 36 not 0. The grounds were always clean and tidy. There are a bunch of cats here. If you don't like cats, stay away! There was something for everyone though. Piles of stuff to do and if you were bored, it was your own fault. I would not return, but I would not return to any resort I've been to because the possibilities are endless and why go to the same old one when you can explore new places each time. Just my opinion. I would recommend the preferred club adult only if you can. The beach section is nicer and the buffet is a must. The time share garbage is terrible!!!

This was our second time at sands plya car and like the first time there IT WAS GREAT!!!!!, the staff was always there to help with anything we needed, the grounds were well landscaped, food and drinks were great and the beach and water was second to none, I would recommend this resort to anyone, I will be there again before to long, it really is the best place on earth

Wonderful hotel, friendly staff. Adult section is far from the beach and activities. A lot of the evening entertainment is geared to Children, I would have liked to see more entertainment for adults. These are the only drawbacks of this resort. If you are travelling with children there is a lot to do. All restaurants do not require reservations and are casual dresss, eliminating long lines. We were able to try all the restaurants, without any long waits. Amazing French Restaurant serving Filet Mignon Steaks.

From the helpful staff, the excellent meals, and of course the superb beach we could not of ask for better. We particularly enjoyed being able to walk to Playa DelCarmen 5th avenue shopping/dinning by either the beach or via the streets all within a limited access community of Playacar.

We have been to at 6 or 7 all inclusives in the Mayan Riveria. Sandos certainly ranks in the top 2! We stayed in the adults only section. The room was beautiful! Mattress was quite firm. No problem at the beginning, but towards the end of our trip our backs were a little stiff. A bit of a walk to the beach, but lets be honest, we could use the exercise after all the food and drink! Grounds are absolutely amazing. The staff are friendly and accommodating. Food was very good. Only complaint was that some items at buffet breakfast (scrambled eggs) were cold. We found the resort to be a very good value. We do not normally return to the same resort, however, if the price was right we would certainly come back with our kids.

Sandos Playacar is a wonderful resort, all staff very professional and respect full. A no pressure shopping resort, food was excellent never had a bad meals had different cuisine each night. I attended a destination wedding that was fabulous. Definety would recommend this resort for total relaxation.

Grounds very well kept, coos is good, people are always smiling. If the weather is good the beach is beautiful. After it rained not so much. But still nice and warm. The only thing I would work on is the catamaran rentals. They always have an excuse not to give them out. You only pay $10 and you can use them as often as you want but they have a very limited time for you to use them and always a differente reason for not giving them out. The Brazilian restaurant is good but takes forever between each serve. The first one comes fast and afterthe side dishes get cold while waiting for the next meat cut. In general we would return to this resort. It is very well kept and it's close to Playa del Carmen.

This resort is a few steps away from being a 5 star. We (gf and I) upgraded to the Adults only select club. I highly suggest this. My whole review is based on the fact that I upgraded to the Select Club Adults only section. If you stay select club adult only, you are in a different section in the back with a private pool just for adults, along with a nice swim up bar. The rooms are also renovated and are spacious, well above average. The walk to the beach is a good 10 minutes. We enjoyed this walk because we got so see the whole resort and burnt off some extra calories haha.. As a select club member you also have a separate breakfast buffet close to your section and a separate select club french restaurant which are both excellent. Food on the resort in general is terrific. We didn't even get to try every restaurant because of all the choices. Alcohol! Dos equis and Sol are your 2 beer choices. They did have Crown Royal, Passport Scotch, Jim Bean, Patron along with several other tequillas, absolute,schmirnoff, and a number of other liqours available. Bartenders were always very friendly! Especially at the select club swim up bar. Unfortunately I cant remember any names. They went above and beyond. There was always staff cleaning up somewhere at all times. This resort is great for anyone at any age. Always something to do! Only complaints I have are seaweed on the beach, which they have no control over, and we didnt receive any bottles of tequilla,vodka and rum in our room like others seem to have. They did however, daily, refill our fridge with beer and pop. Also we couldnt find the big pot of seafood "stew" that was in many of the pictures. These complaints are all minor. We would go back for sure.

Great resort overall! Entertainement amazing, something for everybody, staff amazing, grounds kept clean. Adult beach area great, always found a chair to relax.Beach area amazing but lofs of seaweed, maybe due to last hurricane. Food is o.k. the usual resort food. This resort is big, but is a lot of fun a and not a boring minute. We stayed in a beachfront room. The view was beautiful, the rooms are very old and need to be renovated like right away, as they are a big dissapointment when you first walk in. For all of you that are wondering, yes, the TV has an UBS port and that was great. We just used a memory stick to watch movies from home. We stayed from April 6-16 and had a great time!

The resort is ideal. Most of the à la carte restaurants are very good. We had excellent service at the beach from our waitress Lucia. The drawback is that it does have enough shuttles from one of the resort to the beach. There should at least two at all times.

The hotel property was beautiful! We stayed in the adult only section (which I recommend) as you still have access to the entire resort but access to a different breakfast buffet (better). My main complaint would be that the staff did not enforce the no-smoking rule except for designated areas. There were signs posted everywhere but of course some people still decided to smoke right in the pool which is disgusting. Food was great, especially the French and Brazilian.