Sandos Playacar - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

26039 reviews

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  Will Not Go Back

  This was my first trip in 6 years and the first in 12 years with just my husband and I. We wanted to stay in the Playacar strip that we have stayed in numerous times and decided on this hotel due to the reviews. I have traveled many times and I am not a picky person in the least but I will never book this resort again. We arrived at the resort and waited in a very long line to check in. After check in you are then escorted to a table so they can get you to buy into their timeshare garbage. If you don't then, you are not worth their time anymore. We had booked the Platinum King Room Ocean Front, we were put in the newer building at the end of the resort. The room was large and clean, the bathroom had 2 showers and a double sink. The water cooler worked and was cold, the cord was not cut. We were facing the ocean but we were in the trees so could not see anything. The food was ok, just luke warm which was not great. I did enjoy the popcorn in the evening though, that was a highlight. The breakfast near the swim up bar pool was better then at the main buffet. The platinum lounge was nice with the premium drinks and snacks, my husband and I enjoyed going in before the show. Also the coffee bar was nice with the desserts. The beach was nice and did not have issues finding seats, not much sargassum at the time when when went, not rough at all which was nice. Spent most of our time here. We went to the pool with the swim up bar a couple of times, never went to the adult pool as very few chairs and the nicer chairs you had to pay for. I do not recommend the Platinum as you don't really get anything extra, just the lounge. I thought that we would be able to use the Bali beds at the beach but unless you have that black bracelet, you are nothing. I t does not say anywhere that you can't use those seats but we were kick out of the area on the beach which is in front of our room. The timeshare areas at this place are many, we were looked down upon by staff since we were not the elite. I have never had this issue at other resorts, made me feel crappy. I will never return to this resort, there are so many better ones in this area that I will return to, disappointed after not traveling so for so long but 2026 will bring a better one.

  Feb 20, 2026
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  Not the 5-star resort advertised

  We chose Sandos Playacar expecting a 5-star experience based on the price point and website, but unfortunately, the level of service did not reflect that standard. It was also very clear throughout our stay that unless you had the “Elite” upgrade, you were not treated with the same level of service, priority, or responsiveness. The difference in experience was noticeable and disappointing. The most concerning issue was how difficult it was to reach anyone for assistance. It was nearly impossible to get a hold of reception or guest services from our room phone. On one occasion, after returning from an excursion, we called for over 90 minutes to order room service with no answer. Family members who tried at the same time as us got through within 15 minutes, which made the inconsistency even more frustrating. We ultimately had to find a bellhop at reception in person just to have the request handled. On our final morning, we had no running water, and neither did family members staying in other rooms. With early departures scheduled, this created unnecessary stress. We could not get thru to reception or guest services despite it being early in the morning and with family members being sick from the food, we had no choice but to fill up the toilet ourselves with filtered water. Throughout the stay, our building’s elevator was also completely out of service. We told the manager on site about the elevator and were told “it should be working.” Eight days later, the elevator is still inoperative and some family members will be there for 10 days. Dining was another ongoing issue. The restaurants were frequently half full, yet reservations showed as unavailable online, leaving us eating at the buffet all week except for 1 night. When we got there we tried making reservations but could only secure the Italian restaurant 1 night for 4 people, the earliest being 4 days into our stay. There was no other availability. We spoke with another guest who advised us that if you offer to buy a bottle of wine, they will get you in. This is absolutely unacceptable when you’ve already paid $4,000 per person (14 of us in total) for an all-inclusive experience. At the buffet, if you didn’t arrive right at opening, the food was often cold, over-picked, and not replenished. The dining system simply did not make sense. Another concerning issue was the beach environment. While we understand that vendors walking the beach selling souvenirs is common and generally not a problem, we were approached by a man initially selling cigarettes who then asked if we were interested in drugs or prostitution involving girls and boys. This was extremely inappropriate and alarming, especially at a resort that markets itself as family-friendly with lots of children on the resort. I understand that hotels often respond by encouraging guests to raise concerns during their stay. We raised many concerns and were met with no solution. When it is difficult to reach anyone by phone, and when similar themes appear repeatedly in recent reviews, it suggests Sandos has a broader service and operational problem, not isolated incidents. The property itself is beautiful but the service, accessibility, organization, and clear tiered treatment fell well short of expectations for what we paid and what was represented on the resort’s website.

  Feb 20, 2026
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  Avenue bar !

  Jose and Nelly at sandos playacar are wonderful ! This is a great resort in general and the service at the avenue bar has been exceptional!

  Feb 18, 2026
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  Great service at premium club

  Miriam at premium club meeting point bar is a fantastic bartender. She’s always smiling and makes great drinks

  Feb 17, 2026
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  Bartender

  Meli and Jose are great bartenders you can never go wrong with them they are always there for you with any beverage requests. Great service and attitude

  Feb 15, 2026