Sandos Playacar - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

25482 reviews

• 

  Do not book this place!!!

  Food was horrible. Our room view was a retention wall wrapped with barb wire. Prison style. The toilet wouldn't flush. The tub water was the color of mud. Just to name a few things. Staff was super friendly. But other than that it's definitely not a 4 star resort! I have been to cancun a few times before and I would not be staying there again.

  Aug 27, 2025
• 

  Best AI we have seen in Playa del Carmen

  This resort blew away our expectations. We had read tons of reviews and FB posts so we were prepared. Check in was super fast. 10 min. We went as Select, or Adults only. The room was literally ON the beach. It wasn't huge, but had a great king bed, seating area, bathroom with big shower and double sink, mini fridge, etc. The view was the best part on the balcony. But it was clean and well stocked. If you need or want anything? You request it on an app and it appears quickly. We ate lunch the first day at the Buffet while we waited for our room to be ready(we arrived at noon. Check in is at 3. But they hold your luggage an you can use the while resort). WOW! So many great choices. Different types of food from American, Mexican, Asian, etc. Super fresh produce, tons of seafood and a kids sectionbeitj nuggets and fries and quesadillas etc. Tons of desserts as well as an Ice cream bar. I loved the Adgan food. Stir fry was the best. Pizza, pasta bar, grilled meats, burgers, hot dogs,chicken, fish, ham, a deli bar, soups, breads, every side dish you could imagine. People who complain? NO idea what they eat at home. I didn't know so much food existed lol. The salad bar alone is HUGE with prepared salads, every veggie, condiment, raw seafood, panini, I can't list it all. The beach is postcard perfect. Crystal clear. Whitish sand with tons of loungers and cabanas and beach beds for all, 3 bars right there as well as waitress service, drinks were great and they have a fun menu. They even had a separate beach snack bar. Omg food everywhere. The adults section is amazing. Huge beautiful pool. We were most struck by how clean it was. You always saw employees cleaning, repairing, 24/7. Housekeeping was efficient and left us towel animals! They offer room service which was fun. Only got it once as SO much food. They have a mini bar in the room! The wifi was great. We could stream using our fire stick. Besides the 3 buffets, they had 6 a la carte places for dinner! That's on top of a Chipotle type place open all day and the Cupcake cafe with coffee and desserts. Breakfast at the buffet was our absolute favorite. Try the omelet and crepe bar! Fresh smoothies? Check. Fresh fruit juice and mimosas? Check. Every breakfast item ever thought of? Check! We loved the shows at night and then a fun dance club with parties! They have a membership you can buy, like a timeshare to get VIP access. We did not do this, but never felt anything lacking by not being a part of all that. We had access to everything but like 1 bar. There are 6 pools on site. Multiple water slide areas for young kids. Sports, dance lessons, snacks, kids club, teen club, pool aerobics and pool volleyball and trivia. They even have wildlife running around the grounds like Monkeys! Mini golf, tennis, and pickleball as well as bikes to use! Visit the spa for hydrotherapy, a must. We have gone to a lot of AI resorts. This is a 4 star in my opinion. It was so close to town we could walk. It was super friendly, food was great, room was great. The only negatives? Whiny tourists. Take these negative reviews with a grain of salt. We saw people complaining about the dumbest things. Things the resort has no control over. Or the fact that the food doesn't taste the same as at home. Of course not. Even my Hershey kisses I got at the market tasted very different than at home in USA. It's a slower more relaxed culture. People had to wait a few minutes at check in and huffed and puffed like they would die if they did not move in line in 30 seconds. Plus, it's Mexico. They speak Spanish. As an American it was embarrassing to see a fellow tourist flip out because a worker did not understand them. How could they learn the 8 languages of every tourist who visits??? They were very friendly. This was a great, affordable, interesting, fun, clean, respectful resort. We will definitely return Oh and bring a floaty! We wish we had brought one. But the resort lets you borrow snorkel gear, kayaks and paddle boards!

  Aug 24, 2025
• 

  Excellent hotel

  We are from England and stayed 12 nights. We thought the staff were exceptional. Room We stayed in the Hacienda family room with our two kids, aged 13 and 11. The kids had their own separate room with individual single beds and a bathroom. The rooms are large with very comfortable beds and pillows. Service The staff are friendly, helpful and genuinely kind. They work very hard, especially in the heat. There is always a lot of staff present and during the buffet always someone to refill your drinks. The service is attentive everywhere you go. We were made to feel welcome by Betty who explained not just the areas of the resort but gave us plenty of suggestions for the local area. She would speak to us throughout our stay and constantly give us great tips of things to do. Entertainment I really enjoyed the aqua aerobics and Zumba classes. In the evening, the shows are good, the Michael Jackson and Elvis tributes were our highlights. Sports We made use of the padel courts, usually playing once the sun had gone down. They have ice water out there which are the little touches that help make the holiday a breeze. Beach The colour of the sea is stunning. We always managed to find sunbeds both by the pool and on the beach. Water Slides There were several slides suitable for all ages. My kids enjoyed them because they weren’t too babyish. Football You can buy a ball and play on the beach; there are nets available. It’s easier to play around 5pm when it’s a bit cooler. Food The buffet offered fantastic options for all meals. Our favourite a la carte restaurants were the Italian, Brazilian and Asian. We actually thought the buffet was superior to most hotel buffets. Food is also hot and replenished quickly. Tours & Excursions We LOVED our excursions: • Xenses, Xplor and Xel Ha– which we booked via the Xcaret website at home before we left; these parks are mind-blowing. • Barracuda Jungle Tour – booked ourselves from the UK too which included driving your own speed boat and snorkelling at Punta Nizuc where we saw a sting tray, lobster and turtle. • Whale Shark Snorkel Tour – booked via the Sandos hotel tour desk. Cozumel Island – We took the ferry from Playa del Carmen and I highly recommend: • San Francisco Beach Club. Buy tickets at the port when you disembark. There are lots of desks, so look for the one selling entry to this club. It’s perfect for families, as has inflatables in the sea for kids. • Belleza Mexicana Cozumel Travel – A short walk from the port, this shop rents out e-scooters. The lovely couple who run it went above and beyond for us. They even phoned the beach club ahead to let them know we’d want to charge our scooters there, which was no problem at all. The ride from town is a straight, easy route along a bike path and the e-scooters were ideal in the heat and lots of fun. • Snorkelling at Pal Mar/Dzul ha Along the way, well before you reach the beach club, we stopped at a fantastic snorkel spot. (Where the E-scooter rental suggested is the best snorkel spot on the island) We had a private guide, Luis, who doesn’t charge a fee but works for tips. He was brilliant—showing us a giant lobster, stingrays and lots of other incredible marine life. I was pleased to also spot Dory from finding Nemo! It was much nicer and easier than taking a separate snorkel boat trip or being in a large group. Water Our room had a huge water container and we never got sick once. The hygiene water and ice are all absolutely fine. Wildlife We were lucky enough to spot a spider monkey carrying her baby by the pool. There is plenty more great animals here not in the UK but that was the coolest thing ever for me! Top Tips The adults only bar near the teen room has dark chocolate strawberries and wonderfully cool air con. Definitely book the Xplor and Xenses excursions in advance — they are unforgettable experiences! Ignore any negative reviews as the staff work very hard and deserve recognition. Thank you so much to the hardworking team who all helped to contribute to our great stay.

  Aug 24, 2025
• 

  Amazing experience

  Avenue Bar- Miriam and Jose! They are two of the best bartenders in town! Always greeting you with a smile, they deliver top-tier customer service every single time. Their drinks? Pure art. Thank you for always making us feel special and at home. We've been coming here for 15 years, and it’s always a joy to see your familiar faces. You make every visit memorable.

  Aug 20, 2025
• 

  Spécial happy place home away from home

  Amazing place! We have been coming here at this oasis for the last 15 years! Every time I leave with lasting memories and we c her ish tje friendships we have made with our friends . Jose Armando and Miriam at the Avenue Bar have always made our visit special. We love coming in to see them just to visit they always are very welcoming and they love providing us the best service to all of the Royal Elite guests. There are so many more to mention that make our stay magical, Jose Gomez in Blue Moon bar by the beach, David and Jesus in the Gourmet Breakfast and snack buffets, Araceli who use to clean our rooms to perfection is now in towel service in the Adults only pool, Carlos Puc, Denis, Melquisedec and Jaime amazing individuals we truly love them! Thank you Sandos Playacar for having these individuals that give world class service!!!!

  Aug 20, 2025