Resort Details
- Various BarsDELI SNACK BAR: Located in the pool area, close to the beach, Deli Snack Bar offers light meals and snacks such as pizzas, burgers, French fries, chicken wings (from late morning to sunset) and a Mexican taco-style menu (for late night snacking).
AZUL 48: Our swim-up pool bar serves ice-cold beer, tropical drinks and non-alcoholic beverages.
PAPO'S BAR: A relaxed atmosphere and friendly bartenders make this a favorite evening entertainment area.
LA CHIQUITA: Bordering the beach, this sunny and relaxing retreat opens early and serves cocktails until sundown.
NICO'S LOUNGE BAR: Luxurious Nico's pairs a beachfront location with music and premium-branded cocktails. This bar is only included with the Premium package. A surcharge applies for Standard package guests.
LA CASCADA: Decorated in Mediterranean style, this is a relaxing spot in the lobby to enjoy a cocktail at almost any time of the day. - Various RestaurantsBOTTICELLI: Enjoy freshly prepared Italian dishes in an elegant atmosphere with air conditioning. This restaurant is included with all of our packages.
TERRAZA GRILL: Dine indoors in air-conditioned comfort or on the elegant outdoor terrace. This restaurant is included in the Standard and Premium packages.
ICE CREAM PARLOR: A favorite later afternoon spot for coffee and ice cream, the outdoor eatery overlooks lush tropical gardens and a natural cenote.
CENOTE: Enjoy tea time with a tropical twist in this charming outdoor café serving tea, flambéed coffees, fresh-baked cookies and finger sandwiches.
CHULAVISTA: The main restaurant with three buffet areas offers international delights with a spectacular view of the Caribbean Sea.
- Aerobics instruction†
- Internet services†
- Spa†
- Please contact the hotel for additional information.
† Fees may apply
- Fitness center on-site †
- Golf †
- Spa †The Reef Playacar Spa is nestled amid the charm and fragrance of tropical gardens. The beauty of this place is reflected both in the architectural design and in the quality of the treatments. Our therapists offer a selection of different services, including massages, facials and full body treatments. Enjoy your massage in a palapa on the beach or in our private rooms surrounded by trees.
- Theatre †Nightly shows and live entertainment at The Theater.
- Water activities †Home to our five-star PADI Dive Center, The Reef Marina is your one-stop shop for all things aquatic. Stop in to arrange a diving or snorkeling excursion to a nearby reef, rent a Wave runner or take out a kayak. Our well-equipped marina also has changing rooms, showers, restrooms and more.-Five-star PADI Dive Center-Wave runners-Kayaking-Parasailing (solo or with a friend)-Scuba demos in the swimming pool
- Skydiving †
† Fees may apply
Guest Reviews from CheapCaribbean Customers
Customer Ratings & Reviews
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating
8233 reviews
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Jul 14, 2025Never disappointed
Where to start and never want it to end! Tyler and Biely always make attention to detail their fortay and beyond. See you in January ! Two exceptional people. Fernando and Jesus always great to see you both at the front desk. Chulavista staff el Capitain Sonia and her assistant Diana always smiling . Can’t forget Paulino , Jorge and Norma. Valentin and his crew for diligently clearing the sargasso everyday. Mother Nature is relentless . Felix at Nicos we missed you but we were taken care of my Ephran and Antonio. One person who had an important job but is probably overlooked is Mary in and around Chulavista . She keeps everything spotless and we had great conversations with her . Bravo 🤩 Mary. Why mention the staff in the review? Because it’s what makes your stay more personal . Get to know the culture instead of you binge drinking and eating . 😜 Food excellent , plenty of lounge chairs . Looks like there are modifications that will not interrupt your stay! Always improving . We’ve stayed at all the resorts in the Playacar area from Sandos to the RIU Palaces and have finally found our preference at the boutique hotel resort Reef Playcar!
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Jul 11, 2025
Excellent Service!
The place is beautiful. David, the manager, was incredibly kind, courteous, and extremely helpful throughout our visit. He went above and beyond to ensure everything went smoothly and made the entire experience pleasant. Thank you! :)
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Jul 10, 2025
Best resort experience I’ve ever had
Staff was amazing, especially David, Moses, and Santos we loved them all! David was always asking and making sure he could make our trip the best we could have. Chow, chow, chowww
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Jul 09, 2025Great experience. Don’t pay for the upgrade.
Hotel stay was great. We came to celebrate birthdays with family and friends. David made sure everyone felt special. Santos, Mauricio and Moses made the poop days so much fun! We payed for the upgrade which was supposed to include transportation to and from the resorts and upgraded alcohol. Most of the time the upgraded alcohol was not at the pool bar. We also made dinner reservations at Cocobeach. As soon as we go there, I signed up to get transportation back. When the van showed up, we were told there was not enough room for our group and we had to wait another hour to see if there would be seats. We ended up paying for two cabs which was an inconvenience. Despite the issue with the upgrade, something we won’t do again because it is not worth the money, we had a fantastic time!
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Jul 09, 2025
The Reef Playacar Beach Resort & Spa
I stayed at The Reef Playacar from July 5 to 9 with my son. It was our first time there. When we got there, the staff were cool and welcoming especially Sonia. At first, the place looked kinda small but once you check it out, it’s way bigger than it seems. The room was modern and clean and the mattress was firm which was nice for sleeping. Just a heads up though, there were a lot of mosquitoes so bring some bug spray. The Mexican a la carte was pretty bad but the Italian restaurant was really good especially the lasagna. The buffet was better than most buffets I’ve been to at other resorts with lots of options and tasty food. We loved the beach even with all the seaweed. The water only gets about five feet deep most places so if you swim past the seaweed you’ll be fine no drowning. If you keep swimming or walk on the sand you’ll find spots with no seaweed. The pool was fun but kinda dirty. The spa was awesome and the gym was small but had what you need. They also have these jungle gyms like actual gyms in the jungle area of the resort made mostly of wood and it’s like a mini real gym. Drinks were good the snack bar was alright and the upstairs club was lively. I’d recommend this place especially since it’s way cheaper than other all-inclusives. It was just 200 bucks extra for all-inclusive for two people for four nights which is a good deal. They should definitely work on killing the mosquitoes and keeping the pool cleaner though.
- AdvisoryThere will be a $4 per day, per room Environmental tax fee. This can be paid by guest upon arrival. This amount is not included in your vacation price and will be collected at your hotel. These funds are being used to protect, maintain and conserve the natural beauty of the destination in the area and its surroundings.
- General Policies:
Check-in Policy - Hotel requires a credit/debit card authorization or cash deposit upon check-in for incidentals; this will place a hold on your funds.
Convention Policy - Individuals attending a convention cannot book this property for their stay. If found attending a convention, guests may be subject to higher room rates upon arrival.
Hotel Spring Break Policy - The hotel will not accept any student groups. Student groups are considered young kids between 16-22 years old.
Transfer Policy - A price may display when children stay free, if your vacation includes transfer to your hotel.
General Information - Room taxes and service fees are included in vacation price. Minimum night stay restrictions may apply. Reservation changes may not be permitted unless authorized by the hotel.