Latest Reviews for Playacar / Playa Del Carmen

First of all book with Portland.At least £100 pp cheaper. Hotel was amazing. You could walk from the pools to the beach in seconds. Rooms were cleaned spotless everyday,also the rooms are spacious. There are 3 floors to each block. We were in block closest to the pool area (4206) The food was amazing and catered for the fussy eaters to the adventurous eaters. Everything you wanted was there to eat.We found no queues to book for the Asian (chinese really) and Mexican (this was are only poor meal of the holiday) We got down to the beach for 09:30 and had the pick of the beds. We found it better on the beach due to the sea breeze.When we wanted a drink we would just walk up to the pool bars in seconds.Beach and sea were amazing,white sand and the sea was different shades of blue. There was entertainment during the day which was good fun. The entertainment of an evening was ok,the majority of the shows were good. We would go over to the Tequila Hotel5 min walk to go to the Sports Bar or the Disco better 4 the teenagers in our group. The beer was served in plastic cups,you could have any cocktail you wanted.The town centre was 5dollars in a taxi. The trip to XEL HA is a must. We even had Hurricane dean and still had an amazing holiday.The staff cannot do enough for you. RIU YUCATAN IS WORTH THE MONEY

Don't expect the 5* luxury of the Moon Palace but if you want a good value 4* all inclusive resort then this is for you.

Location - Admittedly it is built in the middle of the jungle so you are likely to get bitten by mosquitos but how many times do you get the chance to see iguanas (some huge), blue crabs, raccoons and bull frogs to name but a few at first hand ?

Rooms - OK nothing fancy but comfortable, cleaned and linen changed daily, mini bar restocked every couple of days.

Meals - 6 restaurants, 3 of which you need to make a reservation. The chinese is only average at best but the others are good with a wide choice.

Bars - Several to choose from serving a mixture of local and branded drinks, unfortunately most only serve using plastic glasses which is not great. Sports bar shows a wide selection of sport both UK and non UK Entertainment - not great and could be improved but they try there best.

Beach - fantastic white bands but very rocky to get into the sea.

Hotel staff - excellent, they cannot do enough for you and always have a smile on their face, just remember a small tip to these guys and girls goes a long way.

Excursions - Thomson offer a F1 speedboat experience at approx 120 USD per person, do it ! 2 speed boats race each other on the Caribbean sea stopping twice to so some fantastic snorkelling. Xcaret is also a worthwhile day out.

Playa Del Carmen - Perfectly safe and is only a 10 USD taxi ride away if you cannot get on the free shuttle bus (please note it seems the Spanish and Italians do not know what a queue is !). Shopping is OK and when you get a bit tired of the resort it is a great night out. NB - only drink in the bars in the side streets off 5th avenue as they are about half the price as those on 5th avenue. General - For the price you pay I don't think you can argue or complain. Another tip log on to sandoshotels.com before you go and join the select club.

This holiday was our honeymoon so we decided to fly Thomson Premimum which I would say was definately worth the extra money. This included extra legroom, a 4 course meal, a snack, all drinks (except champagne) and a 9"; TV with films, music and games to play throughout the flight.

When we arrived in Mexico, which was very hot, we were collected by friendly Thomson staff and the transfers to the hotel were good.

Walking into the hotel was amazing, it was exactly the same as the brochure and website shows. We were sure that we had chosen the right hotel for us! We later discovered that the Riu Palace hotels are the best and allow you to drink at every other Riu hotel in the area.

On arriving at the hotel the receptionist sat us in the bar, offered us a drink and went through the facilities at the hotel. They arranged for the bell boys to take our luggage to our room which was located on the first floor with a pool view.

The rooms were large with a huge bed, a seperate bathroom with hydromassage bath and TV in the sitting room area. We also had a balcony where we could sit and see the pool, water features and beach. My only advice would be to ask for a room on the second floor with a pool view because occasionally we could hear the people upstairs (this wasn't a major problem though). You were also given a safe (free of charge) and a mini bar which was restocked daily. There was also the option to order room service 24 hours a day.

The food on offer was fantastic, there was the buffet restaurant where we could have breakfast, lunch and dinner and also the 5 speciality restaurants which had to be pre-booked. There was always something to eat! I would recommend the gourmet - 'Sir Olivers' the food there was brilliant. We also liked the steakhouse - 'Chillis' and the brazillian. We ate in one of the bookable restaurants most nights because we had eaten in the buffet at breakfast and lunch so it was nice to have something different in the evenings.

In addition to all the food you could eat there was also all the alcohol that you could drink! We were surprised that they had branded alcohol but this was really nice. There was a waiter service around the pool and in the reception area of the hotel. It was nice to be waited on but the staff obviously work extremely hard for little money. We made a point of tipping the staff that we felt deserved it. In the evenings we sat around the 'Lobby Bar' because the staff there were very friendly - especially Islas! They would remember what you were drinking and serve you another as soon as you had finished!

The pool was large and there was always sunbeds available with a parasol if you needed one. You don't need to take beach towels as these are supplied on a daily basis around the pool.
There was a 'Pool Bar' which you could swim to, this was a novelty to begin with but it can get quite crowded.
Whilst sitting around the pool - be prepared to see a wedding most days! They held the weddings either on the beach or behind the pool on a grass area.

We didn't make use of the beach other than to sit in a hammock! It looked nice though with enough sunbeds for everyone to lay on. There was also a BBQ some lunchtimes that was served on the beach.

As this was our honeymoon we didn't plan on doing anything other than swimming with dolphins. We were going to book this through Thomson before we left but I am glad that we didn't because it worked out cheaper through the rep in resort. My husband wasn't as keen as I was to do this trip but he throughly enjoyed it! We bought the photos and DVD to keep as a memory, they were quite expensive though (£25 for the DVD and £5 for each photo). I would highly recommend this trip, it was amazing, although a little scary to begin with. We got to kiss, cuddle, be pushed out the water and be pulled through the water with the dolphins.

The only other things we did whilst in Mexico was to walk into Playa Del Carmen to see the shops. I would suggest having a look around there for any souvneirs etc because the shop in the hotel was quite expensive. We also went for a walk to look around the other Riu hotels. One evening we went to the Riu Tequilla to the nightclub there. We felt old! It was small and full of people that were there to get drunk! During the day we went to the Riu Palace for a drink and a walk around, this hotel seemed nice but not as glamorous as our hotel!

The weather was mainly hot, hot, hot but we did have a couple of thunderstorms and rain. Apparently this is usual in July. It did not really affect our holiday because when it rained we sat in our room or in the lobby bar and had a drink until it stopped. You could also have your lunch at this time until it eased off enough to go back by the pool. The hotel were well prepared for the rain and closed in all the restaurants so that you didn't get wet!

Both my husband and myself would highly recommend this hotel and Mexico itself. We were very impressed with everything.

Just a few pointers before you go....

Don't take travellers cheques because they cost a fortune to change up - unless you have a lovely rep that swaps them for you!

Take mainly US Dollars because the rate of exchange is better than the Peso.

Ensure that you have $1 and $2 notes in your pocket to hand over as tips. The staff work extremely hard for approximately £2.50 a day.

Don't pack beach towels because you won't need them, this leaves extra weight allowance for all those bits that you couldn't fit in!

And finally check out the brochure because this really does show exactly what this wonderful hotel is like.

The flight went very fast, and was hassle free when we arrived at Cancun airport. The first thing we noticed was the heat, it hit us as soon as we stepped off the plane.

When arriving at the hotel, we wondered where we going as weavelled down this long dirt track, but as soon as we saw the hotel we forgot all about it. As soon as we stepped off the coach, our luggage was taken care of and we were offered drinks as we qued for check in. When we finally found our room!! it was amazing, we were quite far from the main area which we didn't mind, it was nice and quiet and we had the trees surrounding us. We had a jacuzzi in our room,(the water is green though!!)so it puts you off a bit! You are advised to drink bottled water. The room was cleaned every day with clean towels and bed linen and the mini bar appeared to be restocked every other day.
The staff were all very friendly and nothing was ever too much trouble. They have some staff riding around on golf cars, so you can catch a lift with them if you can't be bothered to walk!!

The weather is unbelievably hot,i love the heat but it was too much for me, I had to sunbathe in the shade! and was constantly getting in the pool.

The food is fantastic, there is so much choice, we stayed for 3 weeks and it was only towards the end that the food started to get repetitive, the restaurants are really good, we weren't so keen on the chinese, it is their 'real' food, none of your sweet and sours!! The restaurants have air conditioning which I found a little chilly so you might want to take a cardi with you ( the buffet restaurants have fans) There is food and drink served around most of the pools, they don't measure the spirits, and at times we couldn't drink the cocktails as they were far too strong.

I fell ill during the holiday, with bad stomach cramps, after a few days of it not going away and getting worse, I went to see the on site doctor, it cost $40 before he'd said a word and prescribed me 3 lots of medication which cost $65, he later explained that I didn't need them all, so I paid for what I needed and a couple of days later, I noticed the exact same tablets in the resort shop for a fraction of the price.

The excursions are fantastic, we did quite a few and the only one I can say we didn't enjoy was CHITCHEN ITZA, you had to be on the coach early (about 8) we were told you get breakfast, we did, a coffee and a muffin!! We travelled for apx 3-4 hours, picking people up, we did stop once for a toilet break. We were given a tour for about an hour and a half, some parts of it were really quite interesting, you are not allowed to climb Chitzen Itza due to people falling. Beware of the constant harassment from people trying to sell you things, they followed us the whole time we were there.

SWIMMING WITH DOLPHINS was out of this world, we chose to do dolphin trainer for a day and although it was expensive ($250 each) it was totally worth it, you were with them constantly,we fed them, we were taught how to interact with them and how to tell them what to do, at the end of the day, you had an hours swim with them. Lunch was also included.

THE COBA JUNGLE TOUR was brilliant and I can't wait to go again, seeing how they live and playing with the children was great, they have nothing compared to us yet they are so so happy, if your planning on going, take some pencils or some sweets with you to give to them, they love it!!
XCARET is also brilliant, we got there at 08.30 and were the first ones there, we headed straight for the cave, where you get to swim the whole of the park in the under water cave, it takes about 45 mins and you are given a life jacket (make sure you wear biodegradeable sun cream) A few hours later the que for the swimming was really long so well worth going early if you can.

I only really have one fault and that was with First Choice, your rep gives you the chance to pay for your seats on the way back in order to sit next to each other, we explained that we had already paid for that when we booked our holiday which she said was fine and that there would be no problems, BUT when getting our boarding pass, we noticed that we weren't sitting next to each other, there were no spare seats so there was nothing they could do about it. In their defence I must say that they were very apologitic and did give us a voucher to spend in flight, needless to say the bottle of vodka has gone down a treat!!!!

If your heading off to this hotel, you have made a great choice, we can't wait to go back.

Flight good, plenty of legroom. Expecting Cancun Airport to be chaos but it was quiet and we sailed through.

Hotel was fabulous. From the time we arrived to the time we left nothing was too much trouble for the Hotel staff. Our room was spacious with everything we needed. The Reception area and the grounds very impressive. Pools lovely. As mentioned before swim up bar very enjoyable. Beach great, everything provided, beds, food, drinks, some water sports. Food at the hotel great.

Playacar itself quiet with a small shopping area but only need a taxi (£2.50) to Playa del Carmen (5 mins away) and you will find shops, bars, restaurants etc.

Trips, we intended to do a lot more but it was so hot we only actually did 3. We went to Tulum (half day trip). This was very interesting. Isle de Majeure catamaran trip - great, really enoyed this. Xcaret - great day out and evening show very impressive.

Booked our trips through the agent at Playacar Plaza, much cheaper than through Thomsons at the Hotel.

Please note you need biodegradable suntan lotion for some of the trips but you can buy this locally.

I took Pesos and Travellers cheques but everything was actually priced in US dollars, but you could pay in Pesos so no problem.

Mexican people I thought were warm, friendly, gracious, hard working people.

I loved this holiday and generally would not think about returning to a place as there is a big wide world out there, but for this holiday, I would make an exception.

Great holiday.

Hotel in an fantastic location right on the beach.Beware of the ";sunbed savers";-out every morning at 6.00am to save not only sunbeds by the pool but also on the beach!!
Staff very friendly and the animacion team had plenty of activities during the day to keep you occupied if you wanted to join in.

Accomodation kept very clean[cleaned every day] although the room did smell of damp, but probably due to the fact the air conditioning was on full blast most of the time. It was very humid,hence loads of mozzies so take plenty of anti mozzie repellent.
Food excellent apart from the Asian restaurant-too greasy !!.
Recommend you visit Chichen-Itza-quite a trek on the coach but well worth it,now one of the new 7 wonders of the world-the day we went it was 40c.

Only downside really was nothing for the teenagers in our group to do in the evenings-the disco at the Riu Tequila is for over 18's,although ours did manage to sneak in a couple of times.According to the brochure there was supposed to be a disco in this hotel but we never found it.
Other trips we did were Dolphin Discovery,Pirate Ship and Fat-Cat Catamaran-all excellent.
Also make sure you take plenty of US dollars,paying with pesos costs more.

Overall a great holiday.

From start to finish this holiday was superb. I have stayed in several Riu, but this was my first visit to a Palace.

Accomodation.

Lovely Junior Suite with balcony overlooking Pool, kept clean throughout the holiday, some problems with drink restocking but if you phone reception they sort it immediatley.

Resort.

Nice walk into the town to 5th Avenue where you can buy anything and if you feel the need to eat out of the Hotel (Which we did not) there are plenty of places to eat and drink. You can get the ferry here to Cozumel Island for $20 return or I think about $24 it was for the better ferry.

Food.

5 Restaurants, we only tried the Steakhouse and Mexican but enjoyed both, I'm afraid I am not a fish person but my wife loved the fish and the sushi as well. Plenty of choice every night in the buffet restaurant, you could easily eat something different every night for the whole 2 weeks. Neither of us were ill in any way shape or form.

Staff.

Could not do enough for you. That's all I need to say.

Entertainment. Typical evening entertainment for this type of resort, some is rubbish but you watch it because its there or just go to the lobby bar like we did and join in the fun with the bar staff. Especially Islas.

I had the same waiter look after me for 2 weeks, he always ran over to serve us. I think that may be though due to the $5 tip every night!

Overall.

The best hotel I have ever stayed in and we go away 4 or 5 times a year. Would recommend it to anyone.

Flight.

We went Premier class and although its quite dear we enjoyed it immensley and despite other reviews I have read we loved it and it made the flight go so quickly having such a good choice of films, food and free drinks.

Thomson.

The rep Carla, amazing, so helpful and when we had an issue with a trip, she helped us sort it out and we even got a refund. (Not Thomson fault I might add on the trip)

Would I go again

Oh Yes!! Year after next and it's very rare we go to the same place twice!

Overall very good holiday destination.

Resort.
Not that much to do in the evenings (no local bars etc) but we were staying in a resort that is completely all inclusive!!

There is a small friendly shopping plaza in Playacar (500m from hotel)

Playa Del Carmen is a $5 taxi ride away although we did not venture there in the evenings (did not think it was a very nice area), although we went in the day a couple of times!!

Beach very clean, clear waters, although the beach is being eroded away in places. RIU Playacar and RIU Riviera Maya (further north) had very large sand bags on the beach to try and retain what little sand they had left. RIU Yucatan and to the south had plenty of beach.

Plenty of water sports available on the beach.

The beach is about 700m from the hotel but there is a courtesy buggy that runs nearly all day to take you there and back.

Hotel.
Spotless, constantly being cleaned and maintained, gardens well maintained, EVERY member of staff is friendly, most speak English.

Rooms are a little dated but clean and tidy, we spent very little time in the roon anyway. There are 4 bottles of spirits in each room (Gin, Vodka, tequila and Brandy) mini bar refilled every 2 days (beer, 7up coke and water etc)

There is lots of wildlife in the grounds to see (lizards, insects, monkeys iguana's)

You can use the facilities in all the other RIU hotels (except RIU Palace).

Food.
If you can't find something to eat,there must be something wrong with you. All very well cooked, loads of choice. There is always food and drink available somewhere.

Entertainment.
Loads of activities in the day if you choose, although the evening shows are not the best (lots of dancing shows). The animation team however work very hard on all activities.

We have stayed in many Riu hotels previously and all have been fantastic. This one was no different. You are made to feel special from the start to the finish of your holiday. The staff cannot do enough for you and nothing is too much trouble. The general standard of the accommodation, food, entertainment, staff etc. is excellent and as with previous holidays in Riu hotels we could find no faulty whatsoever.
The standard of the resort is equally impressive. The beaches, although still recovering from the hurricane twelve months previous, were fantastic. Mile after mile of white sand and deep blue sea. It's not the sort of place to come to if you want nightclubs, bars and discos but if you're looking for a relaxing holiday in beautiful surroundings then it really is the place to go.

The excursions available are a must. There is something for everyone. The Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza have to be seen to be believed. The snorkelling is fantastic and the swimming with dolphins is something that we will never forget. It's not cheap but you must do it! The jungle adventure on a Unimog all terrain vehicle was brilliant. They said all terrain and they meant it! Snorkelling in the cenotes (underground caves) was a great experience.

All in all one of best holidays we have ever had and certainly a place we intend to return to in the not too distant future.

We have just returned from this Hotel and can't praise it enough. From the moment we arrived and were presented with a very welcome Fruit Cocktail to the day we left, I could not find a single thing to complain about - not that I was looking! The hotel and complex were extremely well kept with a whole army of cleaners, gardeners, porters and other staff keeping the standards high.

I would defy anyone not to find food to suit their taste. It was fresh, well cooked with more choices than I could list. My teeenage son made the most of the ice-cream machine and access to every soft drink imaginable. The specialist steakhouse restaurant in the evening is a must, again the food was superb - you do, however, have to book this before 9am on the day you want to go as it was very popular. The pool, with its swim up bar, was also a firm favourite as was the beach. Drinks and lunch were also available from the Riu Yucatan (on the beach) together with Water Sports. Trips could prove quite expensive through the Reps but taxi's are inexpensive so, therefore, its cheaper to take yourself to the places you wish to visit. However, that said, if you want to swim with the dolphins you are better off booking this with your rep as it gets booked up very quickly and you could be disappointed. Xcaret Eco-Park is a must if you are into wildlife, conservation and natural waterways through caves with superb snorkelling. You can also swim with dolphins here but get there early if you have not booked this with your rep as it is fully booked by 9.30am.

All in all a superb holiday. Also check out the local wildlife, there are animal's i've never seen before. I would definately recommend this hotel. Although its a long flight Thomson do have extra legroom in economy compared with other airlines and the food wasn't too bad. The film selection was, unfortunately, the same going out as coming back, but with seat back TV's there are plenty of other things to watch.

If you're considering this as a destination then you can't go wrong.