Sandos Playacar Spa and Beach Resort Reviews

just a short note please dont be put off because there are few reviews for this hotel, it changed name resently (I think last year), it used to be called the * Gala Beach resort. * there are a few reviews listed under the old name too.. WE HAD A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY HERE !!!

arrived 4th may 2008, Well what can we say brilliant is probably the best word to descibe this hotel, this was our honeymoon and it was fantastic (and i dont just mean in the bedroom). On arrival we were upgraded to a gala royale room this was stunning, all the staff were very friendly,polite and very helpful, nothing is to much trouble they really look after you. The maid service was fantastic and the mini bar was stocked daily (free of charge.....yes the mini bar was free). The site is very large with 3 main pool areas in different parts of the complex, the pool area in the heart of the complex was busy with various activates during the day and there was lots for the kids to do, The other 2 pool areas are much quieter and a little more adult friendly, but kids are welcome in all areas. There are a variety of different resturants to choose from including buffet, mexican, italian, chinese and others but you must make reservations for some of these resturants. All the food we tried was fabulous and my wife is a veggie and she had no problems with choice. The bars open at 9.00am to midnight and there is a nightclub till late on site if you have not had enough, the cocktails are a must try the miami vice and the riviera maya but to be honest they will make up anything you ask for. The beach is excellent it goes on and on with pure white sand, turquoise water and so clean. We visited the ruins of Tulum and Coba which was beautiful but beware this is a long day and you will be out in the midday heat which belive me is HOT! so take plenty of water and in our opinion its not really one for the kids (not that the rep's will tell you this) there is a lot of walking. All in all it is a fabulous place, if your room is quite away from the reception they have converted golf karts that can hold up to 10 people to drop you off outside your room and you can catch them to take you back to reception. This is an excellent way of seeing the site. The staff are not paid very much so they are very very gratful if you tip them not forgetting the maids. Just two moans to make the time share reps can be a pain for a couple of days but a polite stern no is enough also they have a clever plan by saying have you had your free gift to try and get your attention. The second thing is more a family joke they dont have any baked beans on their menus AT ALL ha ha ha... We will definatley go back soon..........

Wow!!! What a fabulous holiday. As our last family holiay we wanted something special and boy did we get it.

The resort is AI and is paradise from the minute you get there. Welcomed with a very refreshing drink and check-in was quick and painless. Our rooms (inter-connecting) were very spacious although a little basic, but what the hell - you're only sleeping in them. The maid cleaned daily and stocked up the mini-bars (you don't pay extra for these or the safe).

Our room was bright and airy, approx 50 paces from the most amazing beach you've ever seen and approx 50 paces from the pool. What a choice!!

The weather was absolutely brilliant. It was the beginning of the hurricane season when we went but you wouldn't know it. It was abit strange though to have a torrential shower at about 3 in the afternoon without any warnng whilst you're swimming in the pool. Don't worry though, it only lasts about 10 minutes. One thing I will comment on and that is the humidity - even sat doing nothing at the bar in the evening you sweat buckets so drink plenty to prevent dehydration.

The food was incredible. With about 10 selections to choose from at every meal time there was never any need to go hungry - even fussy teenagers. Tip - if you tip your waiter a couple of dollars each day you get extra special service.

The staff were all fantastic.Couldn't do enough to help.We ordered a birthday cake for Adam's 16th birthday, fully expecting to pay for it and it was free and big enough to feed a group of 15!!

The entertainment team were great. All different nationalities to reflect the nationalities of the visitors. Each night there were really good shows in a dedicated outdoor theatre on the site. If i had one critiscism it would be that the teenagers weren't really catered for. The disco is only twice a week and is cancelled if there are not enough teenagers on the sight - however if yours are like mine and make loads of friends then they make their own entertainment!!!

Each day a photographer comes round with different creatures that you can have your photo taken with e.g. iguana, parrot, cockatoo and monkey. You can then buy the photos from the shop on the site. Not particularly cheap but a great souvenir.

The shop is well stocked with loads of essentials in case you forget anything - not too expensive.

There is a doctor on-site. We had to use him once and he was excellent.

Approx 15mins walk from the hotel there is a good range of souvenir shops, camera shop, pharmacy etc.

Trips:-
If you like culture - Chichen Itza is a must. 3 hour bus drive but well worth the visit to see the mexican version of the pyramids. Kids were bored though!

Swimming with Dolphins - did this for Adam's 16th. Would recommend Delphinus. Small groups of about 6 per dolphin. Buy the DVD of your swim - it's a fabulous momento. Swam with our dolpin for almost an hour. Also MUCH cheaper than Florida!!!

If you like abit of adventure - go for the quad biking in the jungle. What a fun morning that was. Take plenty of water with you as it gets very hot and they give you a drink but it's at the end. Half way round you stop to have a swim in the Cenote(underground cave pool) - very cold but refreshing. Tip - if your kids are older go on separate bikes, it's much more fun!

For those who like scuba diving this is the place to do it. There is a PADI registered centre on the beach by the hotel. Martin and Adam both did their open water courses and went on some amazing dives - including turtles. The dives get filmed as well so you can take this home as a souvenir. Both now qualified divers and very reasonably priced compared to other resorts we've been to.

If you are like me and ";can't dive, won't dive"; then a great alternative is taking a trip on the submarine from Cozumel Island. It's fully pressurized and goes down about 100 feet. Saw sharks, stingrays and loads of other marine life. You each get your own porthole to look through so there's no looking over shoulders etc.

Overall, most definitely the best holiday we've been on so far. Going back in 2009 and taking friends with us!!!!

This hotel has probably the best beach in Playacar.

The hotel is well maintained and the staff for the most part are friendly and eager to help. This is particularly true of the beach bar staff and the only other bar that is open all the time. That is the one of the drawback of this hotel there is only one bar! and that is only open until midnight, it is next to the theatre and is not very good to be in when the shows are on. Forget the three al la carte restaurants they are hopeless the food is much better in the Festival Buffet restaurant. I would not recommend the beauty salon or the spa, I had my nails done and they are a complete mess and after seeing people having massages they did not look very professional either.

Although reading this back the report sounds negative we had a very good time. I would not go back to this hotel in PLayacar though I would go for one of the others.

Playa Carmen the town next door to Playacar has plenty of bars and shops and restaurants, I would think there is something for everybody there.

We stayed here in May/June 2006 and had a fantastic time. This was our second visit to Playacar, Mexico (first time at this hotel).

Reception - very nice in a large palapa style roof. Couches to relax on. Butler service included and guys who can order you a taxi's for getting out and about. They take your room number and names when you go and check you off their list when you return. There is a gift shop, concierge for any enquiries and for booking speciality restaurants. There is also a side section/archade where all the reps have there own rooms plus a games rooms for teenagers and a jewellery shop. The hotel has its own little room where you can book trips and car hire - we went with First Choice, it wasn't much more £ for trips and we were pleased to be with Brits/Canadians for a whole day (First Choice is also partners with Canadian Signature Holidays)! These 'rep' and 'game' rooms are great late at night if it is completely humid and sticky as they are air-conditioned 24/7 so can cool down a bit. There is a photo shop too as there is a photographer that comes around during the day pool/beach to take piccies, sometimes with animals like toucans and lizards, etc, not pushy or in your face though. Can't remember the price but they were good value.

Rooms - they have the normal hotel rooms which have 2 double beds or a big queensize bed. Very clean, have lots of wardrobe space and mini bar (stocked regularly with various branded drinks, inc diet!, water and beer - twist top local XX brand, very nice). All have balcony / terrace etc. There is satellite TV with lots of channels. You can also order 24/7 room service for free included in the AI! We did this once when we were tired out from a long day out n about. It's a good choice of room service food too.
There is also a separate Royal Section at the front of the hotel - all in blocks with small swimming pool, jacuzzi, own hammocks, bigger rooms etc + Royal Club guests have own concierge, own beach area, a little motorised golf cart thingy as its only 3 or 4 minutes walk from the reception to the Royal rooms but I suppose some people want/need a lift to and from.

Food/Restaurants - very good food.
· The main buffet restaurant is open for brekkie, lunch and dinner - all buffet style, theme evenings, lots of choice, different dishes every night and loads of salads, fruits, desserts, soups, etc. Okay-ish for vegetarians like me (learn the key words like no carne (meat), pescada (fish), pollo (chicken) - they try to understand the best they can). Fantastic choice and quality. Waiters very good. Very clean. There is also a help yourself to liquers at the front entrance and hand-made choccies - we used to have a tipple after we'd eaten. The waiter/meet and great you chap gave you tips on the best tequila's etc. Also in the morning and lunch this is there - and is even a champagne you can have if you want with brekkie.
· There is a poolside bar which serves brekkie and lunches - buffet style but is waiter service for drinks etc. Just walk in and get a table. Great choice, fab waiters, very good. At night this turns into a speciality seafood restaurant, menu looked good, wasn't as busy as the other 2 speciality restaurants but people said it was very nice. I didn't eat there as wasn't anything vegi (all seafood). You have to book for this restaurant at the concierge desk.
· Mexican Speciality Restaurant - didn't go there as all meat dishes. The people that did go raved about it. This is up at the top courtyard next to the main restaurant and Italian restaurant. You have to book in the morning (usually before 9.30am/10.00am) with concierge.
· Italian Speciality Restaurant - we ate here about 4 or 5 times. Very good choice for vegi's. The wine's were fantastic - amazing quality. Great food - pasta's better than the pizza but was good too. There is a salad bar/anti pasti help yourself/buffet style in the middle. The breads are fabulous and the desserts brilliant. Great atmosphere. Very good - go there. Very smart restaurant and good waiters. They even have hand-made chocolates as you went out. Again have to book it, we winged it one night without a booking at got in but then tried on our last night as got up too late to book and we couldn't get in, so defo book.

Tip for vegi's, we ate out a couple of times with my mate who lives in playa del carmen (we only ate out as a social thing, would of happily ate at the hotel 24/7 everyday) - 'quesidillas' are wheat tortillas with cheese - very nice. Mexico is very meat orientated but I ate well at this hotel and previously at the Viva Azteca. Do not worry if you are vegi, I am also reasonably picky vegi and ate well and extensively - so its all fine.

Facilities -
POOLS - there are 2 to 3 main pools - large children allowed/activity pool by the pool bar/restaurant and next to this/joining it a sports pool with basketball nets and they do introductory scuba lessons in there (free lesson, obviously pay for the scuba diving out in the sea) + kiddy club (at the kids club house) has own very small pool with slides. There is also a small adults only pool (very peaceful and quite) just before the beach, where we spent most of our pool time, they really do adhere to the adults only sign which is good and when kids did go and parents tried to ignore the sign they were politely asked to leave by security/barmen.

AMINATION - there is a small team with staff from all different nationalities, they do various daytime activities for the kids, ping pong championships, bingo, Spanish lessons, aerobics, etc. There is volleyball on the beach all time. At night there is always a main show which is different every night.

OTHER ENTERTAINMENT - Mexico night is held once a week so we saw it twice (fab, really authentic, small around the courtyard between the restaurants and top bar). They have donkeys, a mexican band, a traditional game for the kids where they get sweets, all the staff dress up, very pretty and quant. Probably about 3 times a week there are stalls selling jewellery and Mexican crafts, souvenirs etc by the water fountains.

GYM / SAUNA - went to the gym once, was fine, not massive but modern machines. Never seemed to be busy (pretty much used by the animation team to keep toned and trim!) We didn't go to the sauna. There is a beauty salon/hairdressers next to the gym and also massages etc that you can pay for on the beach. People who had them said they were good. I thought they were a tad expensive but seemingly the Americans said the prices were what they paid in the US.

OTHER SPORTS - they have bikes you can use for free in the daytime (finish about 5pm though), multi sports court, tennis courts, aerobics, loads to do.

Kids - fantastic activities and staff. we do not have children but other guests raved about facilities and from what we could see they have 3 different age brackets for kiddy clubs and you could leave them from 9am in the morning til about 9pm at night (every night before the main show, they put on a kids show for all the parents - very sweet). They have crafts next to the pool some days - like paint a pot style for kids (and adults!). I saw a sign for evening babysitting that you could pay for. For TEENAGERS there is a games room with about 10 Playstations and also a games hut which has ping pong, 2 pool tables and table football. To be honest it was often empty at night and we'd go for a game of pool/ping pong for a laugh.

Bars - there is a main bar open all day til about midnight (ish) which where the barmen are great (there is a double act on at night who try to be very entertaining, cocktail style) they all work like trojans, you don't have to wait for drinks (like it states by our American friends on other forums) there is also a coffee machine/bar at the end of the main bar. There are TV's above the bar + a room next door with a TV and tables in (great as we were there when the world cup was on). There is a big bar at the Poolside buffet restaurant/evening seafood restaurant which is open morning until about 10/10.30pm ish. This has a help-your-self soft drinks machine for the daytime and is much quieter at nighttime. The beach has 2 small bar kiosks and there is a nightclub with a bar open from 11pm til 3/4am! The restaurants all have their own bars too. All the drinks/cocktails are fabulous and I was well impressed to find they had premium brand drinks included as general and they put these in as standard to your drinks/cocktails, not the local versions as a rule- smirnoff, danask vodka, absolut, barcardi even the top gold stuff, baileys, kahlua (a bargain buy in mexico to bring home) etc. There is waitress service at the top main bar at night. There is also a pool/beach waitress service so you can be a total beach bum and have someone fetch you drinks all day long - all included. Before 8pm at the main bar they sometimes serve antipasti. You always get crisps at night too at the top bar with your drinks - not good for the waistline, but very nice! Also there is a pool table at the top bar (always in use) and a ping-pong table at the pool bar.

BEACH - spot on, large and wide, beautiful and outstanding sand and sea. Clarity of the water is amazing. Loads of sunbeds and palapa style umbrella's - never a problem getting one. There are showers etc to wash off with. It is very clean and waitresses are constantly collecting glasses and any rubbish. As this is the last hotel on the Playacar strip then you don't get loads of traffic. The beach has not been ruined by the hurricanes of 2005 like other parts of the Playacar strip (beginning to mid sections - some hotels have sandbags, but the Mexicans have done a great job in restoring the beach). There are watersports included in the AI like canoes, pedalo's, snorkelling equipment etc. There is also a paid jetski, banana boat etc stall just up (I don't think it is attached to the hotel, but not sure). The snorkelling in Playa itself isn't that great due to all the sand, but if you swim out a bit you see some more fish and even some lobsters. For snorkelling you really need to be in Akumal, Cozumel, the Eco parks etc. The Cenotes are great for snorkelling to.

The hotel used to be called the Gala Resort but was taken over by Sandos, hence named Sandos Gala Resort. Sandos also have another hotel on the Mayan Riviera called Sandos Carocal - you can't visit both/dine around or anything though.

I always listen to the British/European reviews about hotels - whilst we were there all the Brits/Europeans were extremely pleased with the facilities. Some of our American friends were moaning and picky, and bless them but they will moan whether it's a 3* or top 5*. Please visit this hotel, for the fab prices you can get AI deals for you will not be disappointed.

Overall a fabulous hotel which I will defo return to. It is excellent and fabulous value for money. It is a very good 4* hotel, perhaps even 4.5*. Very impressed. Great, friendly and efficient staff - a great holiday. There were a few British guests, quite a lot of Americans, some Danish and Germans and quite a lot of Italians.

You can have a relaxed as holiday as you like and non of the entertainment/animation is in your face or if you are active/need to be doing things you will have so much to do you will be spoilt for choice. GO THERE!