My husband and I just got back from Sandos Playacar after a 5-day stay. We were there to attend a wedding on Saturday. Pros: -This was my first time staying at an all-inclusive resort and it was super nice. Most drinks and all food were included. We went to the buffet a few times which was also nice, and the bride and groom had told us to make reservations at the dinner restaurants beforehand, so we did that. -Buffet was actually really good, I'd say comparable to Vegas ones I've been to. -The Italian restaurant was very good, and the Brazilian churrascaria was okay. The steakhouse was unfortunately just so-so but the empanadas and sides were good. -Awesome beachfront view from room. The bride and groom were Royal Elite (they're members of Sandos, I believe) and they booked us all under their reservation, which meant we had access to special parts of the resort. I was also able to text a concierge via WhatsApp to get our dinner reservations. -Complimentary minibar with beers and sodas which was refreshed daily, also a bottle of mezcal and champagne -Water bubbler in the room for safe water to drink (don't drink the water if you're not used to it, in Mexico). We also used this for brushing our teeth. -Room service was also free, although we always tipped. We did continental breakfast twice, and the Royal Elite menu had some other tasty things like prosciutto, burgers, guac and tortilla chips, etc. on it. -We were able to schedule a bellhop the day before we left, for 8:10am the next day, and they showed up promptly. Cons: -Overall the food was just okay. The Italian place on our first night was the best of the three we tried. -Wifi was great everywhere in the resort EXCEPT our room. Which was a problem because my phone provider charges me $10 a day extra in Mexico, so I was hoping to just use WiFi. Also meant streaming TV shows on my iPad was rough/laggy. -This didn't happen to us but it rained heavily our first night there, and some people in our wedding group said their rooms flooded. It did rain Monday night too and walking around the resort was tough because some of the walkways were super watery. -Check-in took a while, maybe 30 minutes including waiting in line and actually checking in. As for the wedding itself, it was on the beach on Saturday and then the reception was outdoors in a semi-private area a few hours after that. Both were really nice and I'd recommend it to anyone looking to book a beach wedding, although we were lucky the weather was good that day (I believe they do have a rain plan though). Overall I would stay here again, I did read other Yelp reviews saying that if you aren't Royal Elite a lot of the amenities are not open to you, but because our friends are members we were included in their perks. read more

We as a family have stayed at several all-inclusive resorts, some in Cancun and Sandos did not particularly meet our standards for the following reasons. - Upon checking in, my wristband already did not work in opening our door. - Elevator at building 8 on the family side was broken so my brother and SIL had to carry a stroller & pack and play up 3 flights of stairs. Front desk couldn't give an estimate time of when the elevators would be fixed. They had to ask to switch rooms which was a hassle in itself because it wouldn't be available till the next day so they essentially had to repack their things by noon the following day and had to wait till 3 pm to check in to the new room. - Rooms are pretty outdated and not the cleanest, the shower had a scratchy wood tiling which felt weird on the feet especially when wet, and there's like 3 available outlets throughout the entire room. - The quality of the food is pretty lacking. We were constantly disappointed by the desserts offered at the restaurants as several did not taste the way it should (ie flan and mousse were not of usual flan or mousse consistency). The pastries at the cupcake cafe were not fresh. We found that the best restaurant was Italian - we were pleasantly pleased by each item we ordered from the menu. Second best was the El Gaucho steakhouse (although here I got a side of mac & cheese which was absolutely nothing like mac & cheese...). The rest of the restaurants we were not particularly impressed with. - All of the restaurants require a reservation except for the buffet. Reservations can only be made through the app or if you walk up to the guest services counter at 4 pm each day to check if there were any cancellations for that day. This made it hard to snag solid dinner options because every time we checked the app, there were no reservations for the next 3 days which we found not to be very accurate because the restaurants were never full. - I didn't find the staff to be as friendly and accommodating as we have experienced at previous all-inclusives. Every encounter felt very short and impersonal. The service at restaurants weren't the best - we rarely ever had our water/coffees refilled without asking, we were sometimes given the smallest table possible for 6 adults and a baby, and we seemed ignored every time we asked for a high chair and we had to go fetch one ourselves each time. Also to note, we had one of our waitresses snatch my 9 month old nephew out of my dad's arms at dinner and hold him for about a minute without asking for permission before doing so. We did not appreciate that one bit. - The shows were okay. Some nights were better than others because there would be actual live singing. I did enjoy the costumes and the stage decor but overall the night entertainment was nothing very special. - Both my brother and SIL as well as my parents had someone pounding loudly on their doors at 10:30 pm saying room service even though none of them had ordered room service. Mind you, my brother and SIL had their sleeping baby at the time. On top of that, one employee even badged into and opened my brother's door before they could even get to the door to open it. On both occasions, whoever was standing at the door did not have anything with them to offer as "room service", did not apologize, and walked away without any further explanation. - While the app advertised daily activities on the beach, we didn't see a lot of the activities actually happen. They might not have enough participants to do the events but it didn't look like they tried to hard to recruit. - There was no beach or pool side service which was disappointing. It was probably because of all the wild animals (like the coatis, monkeys, and cats) around seeking food but that took away from the overall experience. - The quality of a lot of the alcoholic drinks were subpar and some of the standard drinks my brother requested the bartender didn't know how to make. - One of the primary walkways shared the same path as the shuttle cars and half the time you're walking, you're pressed to the side trying not to get hit by a passing shuttle car because the path is too small for both civilians and a car. Some pros: - Depending on who the barista was, the coffee some days was delicious (primarily the mocha frappucino). - The beach, while not fully enjoyable because of all the seaweed, had a really nice shaded breezy area where we spent every late afternoon laying out and taking a super relaxing nap on the chairs listening to the sounds of the palm trees swaying and the ocean. - Most of the walkways between the different buildings were nice and shaded with lots of greenery. - There were some employees I think that were paired with Expedia who were much more friendly and went more out of their way to help visitors better their overall experience. Based on our experience, we would choose elsewhere for our next destination. read more

I cannot recommend this place. We were there for a friend's wedding for 5 nights and we ran into so many issues, as did almost everyone that was part of the wedding. The resort's amenities were quite nice, with multiple restaurants and a large buffet open throughout the day. They had quite a few places to go throughout the day, such as a bar, a couple of gift shops, coffee shop, & a disco bar. It was in a beautiful location right on the beach. But that's pretty much where the good parts of the resort end. On the first night, one of our female friend's room wouldn't open with her bracelet hotel key and it took multiple days to get it fixed. Each day we had to walk back to the lobby, which was surprisingly far from everything else in this resort, and complain again so they could send a maintenance guy to come fix it. One night my wife and I walked her back to her room at 11:30pm and it didn't work, so we were worried about her safety. We kept asking for a new room but they refused to swap her hotel room. She wasn't asking for much, just a working door but it took 3 days of back and forth before she was moved. Just terrible customer service. To make matters worse, she was in the bridal party, so coordinating that schedule with this mess was quite the bad experience for her. Now for our room, it was quite beat up inside. Maybe it was nice in the 1970s but it's in serious need of updating and repair. Our room was extremely humid which made sleeping quite difficult for us. Multiple people in the wedding ran into room issues like not having working AC or ended up with very bad stomach problems. They also had a list of events that you could partake in but some of them just didn't actually happen such as the volleyball and ping pong tournaments. And no employee knew about them even though they were listed on their site. At every turn, it also seemed like employees were there to upsell you on everything. I could go on but there were just so many issues we had at this resort, I can't list them all. Do yourself a favor and pick another, higher rated resort. You'll thank yourself. read more

We had a fantastic trip at Sandos Playacar! The family room was spacious and comfortable. The beds were comfy and jacuzzi in the room was huge. There was a bit of a lack of hot water most days but we didn't let that spoil it for us. All of the restaurants, except the Asian, were really good. Our favourite was the French. Both the family pools were fun. The one by the 9000 building had great bartenders that did rounds of shots constantly without having to order them. The buffet had many options which included a wood fired pizza station, fresh pasta station and Mexican section which were all fresh and delicious. The kids club and teen club were tons of fun for my kids. The night time entertainment was incredible! The beach is absolutely beautiful. We would 10000000 percent go back! read more

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So far not overly impressed I've been standing in the check-in line for 50 minutes only one person working check-in two people working checkout. When I talked to the manager he said he had four large groups checking out did I not see the line. meanwhile somebody in the checkout line checked someone in that was behind me. We have all sorts of guest service people standing around. I have now been standing here for an hour and 10 minutes read more

Rooms are smelly and outdated, we lost water in the morning, no shower, no flushing, check in is a joke, takes forever, why? No idea, got to get a bus to the buffet, making a reservation for a restaurant is near impossible, read more

Food is mediocre, they shill massages to try and get you to buy a timeshare. The buildings are outdated and smell of sewage. Alcohol is acceptable but the room service options are horrendous. If you let this be your first all inclusive all others after will be amazing .... read more

My husband and I came here to attend a wedding. As soon as we got off from the car, we were greeted by a friendly staff who safely put aside our luggages while checking in. The check in process was smooth. We were given a bracelet that served as the key. After that we ushered to a hospitality desk trying to sell share time. She was a bit pushy. There was a golf cart taking us to our room. Again, the guy who helped us was very friendly and courteous. He even helped us carrying the luggage to our room on the second floor. The room was a clean with drinking water and soda and beer in the fridge; good size for both of us with a communal pool and jacuzzi on the first floor. Buffet are is huge and tons of varieties of food selections. My favorite was the ceviche, seafood and the fruit because they were very fresh. The dessert looked appetizing but it turned out to be underwhelming. Unfortunately, alcoholic drinks were watered down. The beach was gorgeous. Turquoise blue ocean was very memorable, although at the most part of the beach there were seaweeds. I was lucky to be able to witness a beautiful sunrise. I went to the gym every morning and I was impressed with the equipments there. I encountered a friendly personal trainer only once out of the 3 days, who helped me to correctly use the equipment. I wished the personal trainer was there every day. There was a small area dedicated for cats. I was fortunate I could pet a couple of them. The food at the wedding was delicious. Staff was attentive and helpful. Don't forget to visit the store for some souvenirs. Every night there was a performance at the outdoor theater for everyone to enjoy. On my first night, I could not find the building where we stayed because it was dark. After walking around aimlessly I was lucky to find a gardener who directed me to the right path. My husband also got lost too. I recommend taking pictures of the landmark especially on your first night. All of the employees there speak English so it shouldn't be a problem for international visitors. Also, they accept US dollars. read more

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I spent 50% of my time taking the back lid off of the toilet to reset the plug AFTER I reported it twice to the lobby and a worker within an hour of arriving. 7 days later and no one has showed up. The water pressure in the shower was a trickle at best. Hot water would have been nice too. The facilities are really run down in rooms. We were given a room in the backend of the property over looking heavy brush and full blown construction happening. Food was "ok" at best. Elevator was broken with no sign and we were trapped inside for almost 10 minutes before getting out. No emergency buttons worked. The pool bars had absolutely no snacks or food. I was sorely disappointed for the amount of money I paid for so little services. I'm sure there are better places available that I will thoroughly review next time. read more

Our vacation was enjoyable. The pricing for the package, which encompassed accommodation, dining, access to the water park, and the beach, was more than fair and reasonable. While the the rooms themselves were quite nice. The only downside was the relatively small size of the showers and the facilities were out dated. The resort offered multiple buffets for breakfast and lunch, with the main buffet, conveniently located near the Meeting Point, providing the most extensive variety. Do note that they briefly close to prepare for the next meal, so be mindful of arriving too close to closing time. The food was decent and what you would expect from a buffet. We tried out several of the resort's restaurants. Reservations are a must and tend to fill up quickly. We initially missed out the first night but managed to secure bookings for the remainder of our stay. Chayita is fast casual Mexican restaurant and an another option for dinner that doesn't require a reservation. The restaurant, GourMex, is a good option and the Brazilian steakhouse, Fogo de Janeiro, provided roughly 8-9 diverse cuts of meats. They aren't 5 star restaurants but are decent. On the other hand, El Gaucho, the Argentine steakhouse, left us somewhat underwhelmed. Navigating the resort, we noticed that the longest distance was between the lobby and the Meeting Point. The trolley runs roughly every 15 minutes. They say board in the order you arrived but truthfully it's every man for themselves! Surprisingly, walking from the Meeting Point to the beach or pool was often quicker than waiting for the trolley. Overall our family had a pleasant time, with the kids particularly enjoying the water park. read more

My family and I stayed here recently. The location of the hotel is amazing -- the surrounding nature is beautiful, and the beach is incredible. However, the hotel itself is very poorly managed. People were smoking everywhere, even though there were signs prohibiting it and specific designated smoking areas. We even heard employees encouraging guests to smoke outside those areas. We booked the all-inclusive package, which includes one dinner reservation per night at their specialty restaurants. They gave us a reservation at 9:30 p.m. When we arrived on time, the first thing they told us was that the kitchen would close at 9:45, so we had to rush through our meal. The food was dry and tasted old. Why would they give guests reservations so close to closing time if they're not going to serve them properly? They also offered us a "free massage," which turned out to be a tactic to get us to attend a three-hour timeshare presentation. After we declined to buy, they tried to humiliate us in front of others. The elevators were not functional, and we had to help staff carry our luggage. Instead of fixing them, they had the elevator areas blocked off with drywall. We stayed in the adults-only area, where most guests are older and actually need elevator access -- yet nothing was done about it. Some of the outdoor areas were damaged by fire and still haven't been repaired. When it rained, our food and drinks got wet, and finding a dry, safe spot meant walking far from the beach. Even the staff commented that management doesn't like fixing things. Our room smelled strongly of paint thinner because they decided it was a good idea to use such a harsh chemical right next to the guest rooms without warning anyone. We all felt sick from the fumes. My brother and sister-in-law even overslept due to what seemed like chemical intoxication. We reported it, but it took the staff more than two hours to check the room and the smell. They didn't offer to move us or send medical assistance. The quality of the food and drinks throughout the hotel was very poor -- everything tasted dry, overly salted, and old. If the management is going to humiliate guests for not buying their timeshares, maybe they should invest in their staff and facilities instead. read more

¡Una experiencia increíble! Quiero agradecer de corazón a las niñeras Sol e Isa por el excelente cuidado que le dieron a mis dos niños durante nuestra estancia en el hotel Sandos en Playa del Carmen. Son unas personas muy dulces, atentas y profesionales. Mis hijos estuvieron felices con ellas, y nos brindaron la tranquilidad de saber que estaban en las mejores manos. ¡Gracias por su dedicación y cariño! Definitivamente las recomiendo. read more

Food was okay we loved it the first day but got tired of it by the 2nd day. 3 adults 2 kids. All adults got a stomach bug from the buffet probably the serving spoons no one disinfects. Both kids got hand foot and mouth disease completely ruined our trip. Also paid $130 to see the doctor in the resort only for her to say my son had a throat infection after barely taking a look at him. We got a correct diagnosis as soon as we got to the states after probably spreading the disease even more!! I will say the resort is pretty but I wouldn't bring kids unless you want them to catch something. And for adults theres better resorts, waste of money overall. read more

I really like this place!! The rooms are nice and clean, the stock the fridge with a variety of drinks and when we arrived they had wine, tequila and fruit waiting for us. The main buffet had many vegetable options, gluten free, etc and I was incredibly happy with the selections of eggplant, cabbage, spinach, squash, beets, onions and zucchini There were at least 3 pools where the kids can go and there is an adults only section with their own pool. I love the tropical foliage everywhere and walking by certain parts there was this wonderful musky gardenia type scent in the bushes. It was amazing. You can rent bikes and ride around the grounds or rake them into Playacar and they have a dive shop on site. So far I haven't seen any activities that are hosted by the hotel like other hotels have, but maybe I haven't been out there at the right times? I will have to ask and update. There are a bunch of restaurants and they weren't all that great tbh although Im picky about my food and what I need. Asian place had no veggie options but the duck was tasty. Sea Bass at the Mex place was good but again not a lot of veggie options. But that is okay because the buffet had plenty. The best place by far food wise was the Fogo de Janeiro. The service there was great and very attentive, despite the decor being outdated and what looks like possibly their original buffet location. As a matter of fact, in the morning it IS the breakfast buffet location and half is the "steak house" the other half is Brazilian? So it is a stretch to count each one as it's own restaurant. Apparently some of the hotel also has a "luxury" section so I think they also have a Greek restaurant just for them. Their vacation club thing that they have you sit in on was totally low pressure and really felt like they were just making you aware of their VIP club, take it or leave it and you could think about it and decide later if you wanted. That was very much appreciated and honestly it wasn't a bad deal, but we passed as we don't like to commit to one place. My favorite lil spot was the cupcake cafe. Not for their cupcakes although they did have treats in the case, but I loved their espressos and my hubs liked the cappuccinos. My daughter liked the mango smoothies. They also have entertainment shows at night which included tributes to Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga and Madonna, but we didn't really go to them. 9pm they have a pre show which I think was geared towards kids and the main show at 9:30pm. But our daughter was usually done for so we called it a night. Overall I really enjoyed our time here. I did take a star off as the service was not as attentive or good as Iberostar next door. They often left us to fend for ourselves after seating us without drinks or coffee for what seemed like a long time and I had to ask housekeeping to do some basic things like clean the tub, or refill drinks in the fridge. Oh and the shower had horrible water pressure and the drain was slow so water ended up getting into the rest of the bathroom the first night. After that we either had to rush or use the tub. I'm assuming drains need to be cleaned of hair a lil more frequently but who knows? Overall it was beautiful and I would come again (even though I like to bounce and try other spots) read more

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I had a great room. Love the door, windows look, between the bedroom and bathroom. The bathroom has a walk in shower, a jacuzzi tub, and 2 sinks. The room is very spacious with 2 beds, two chatis and a sofa. I loved the L shape balcony and the beautiful view from the balcony. They have various restaurants that you have to make reservations for. That was pretty difficult because they tend to run out of spots quickly. The staff is ok but could be a bit more friendly. My friend wedding was set up very nicely. The only thing that was a bit nervous to me was the trolleys run through the spot people walk through. That didn't sem too safe. Nice resort. read more

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Not a great experience for us...:( My friend is getting married and brought over 40+ people. I'm the only one with a kid so I got a different color bracelet. Understandably there are adult only sections which I can't go to because of my bracelet even though my kid is in the room, or at the kids club. I spent all this money and I can't even sit with them at a restaurant. I wasn't even eating, just enjoying their company. They offered to give me a new color bracelet if I sit through a 90 minute presentation. Why would I want to learn more about this place when I am so looking forward to leaving? They also missed my paid for pick up, so I had to pay for a taxi to the resort. There are better resorts in cancun, that are more accommodating and focused on providing a great experience for their visitors. read more

Here is a transparent description of the experience I've had. If you can change your hotel for an upcoming trip, I encourage you to do so. Staying at this resort has been the worst vacation experience of my life. Upon check in, Rico knew absolutely nothing but acted as though he did. He gave us incorrect instructions on where to be for each of the different shows - told us the fire show would only move if it was raining. We arrived at the plaza del sol alongside 30-50 other people and realized there would be no communication that it was moving. We ended up being 20 minutes late to the theatre and getting a horrible seat. He told us room service was 24 hours and available over night. We reconfirmed the room service when checking your app. When we went to order room service, they told us it was unavailable. I posted my complaints on Sandos Caracol Facebook groups, and then got contacted by Itzel, the customer service supervisor. She said she'd have the app fixed to correct the time and attempted to help us during our stay. Rico also said our $125 USD resort credit could be used in its entirety for the spa service. When booking the spa, the man at the front desk in glasses confirmed we could use the entire resort credit for my service. I added the hydrotherapy for my husband so we could enjoy some time together, and I feel I should get a refund for that as well, since the jets were broken in the pool and the spout to pour water down was also broken. We paid to sit in a pool and could've done that for free at the select club. Itzel then confirmed a 12:00 boat ride, later said the time was unavailable and switched it to 12:20. Not a huge deal but when we got there, no one was there. We waited 20 minutes and he finally came. We never received a bottle of wine upon check in, nor the extras we were promised for it being our honey moon. On check out, we were told we could only use the resort credit for the coupons in the book we received, but we never received a book. We couldn't get change at the ATM, as the USD ATM is broken. The juice bar was OUT of over half the juices on the menu, and restaurants were out of multiple menu items as well. Many times I considered taxi-ing to McDonald's so I could eat something edible. The food was like cold cardboard. Our lights on our patio didn't work and someone had to come in and change the bulbs while we were trying to relax. I was essentially held hostage at your front desk to pay my spa balance despite being told by MULTIPLE staff members that the credit could be applied in full to the spa service. They wouldn't even apply the $20 credit they said WOULD count towards the spa for some reason. It was a ridiculous experience. I will never ever ever come back to a Sandos resort and I'm amazed they've stayed in business this long. read more

Wow, I've never been so disgusted and disheartened with a property that is meant to be a vacation escape. They had sewage leaking into their water supply and cause over 300 to be ill prior to our arrival and we're still fixing the issues when we arrived on property. We said we didn't want to check in but wanted a refund. They gave the worst attitude to me and threatened to kick me off property bc I was asking for a refund. My best friend was getting married here and when we didn't stay (no refund yet) I had to pay to attend her wedding. Ridiculous, when I hadn't even been refunded for my stay yet. The water was shut off several times for the ppl that did stay and it was brown when they turned it back on! Yuck! 4/20 got sick that stayed here and that with have leaving after no water!...and if the water was off it was likey from no one being able to wash their hands! Yuckkkk the wedding was disorganized and a mess too. Shittles took forever to get you to it and back to the lobby. Stay elsewhere and avoid this place like the plague it likey has! read more

Awful food, unsanitary buffet, smelly room (ac filter was black) so couldn't use ac. Service was slow but servers were nice. Seemed untrained. Entertainment was good, location and beach was nice. Couldn't wait to leave. read more

3 stars because the pricing was fair, beach was beautiful, gated and secure area, beautiful grounds, and fabulous memories made!! That is a generous rating. We stayed in a one bedroom Hacienda and it was nice and spacious. A/c worked well for us but you do have to check that the water cooler and mini bar aren't left unplugged by housekeeping(maybe when they plug in vacuums?) that happened to us a couple times and it's just a little inconvenient to have all the beverages warm on a hot day but not a huge deal. A couple of things for people who are looking: There is no real wait staff providing food or drink service at the pool or beach so if you're used to that at hotels/all-inclusives you will miss it! All food must be eating in the buffet style restaurants... some are near the pool but there are signs telling you not to remove food from the restaurant. Reservations are nearly impossible to get even for 4 people! I arrived Saturday and had made one reservation with the RE concierge before I arrived and the hostess did not have a record of it. When I tried to make a rez on my own in the app nothing was available. The solution I am told is to wait until midnight when the reservations open and book them then or book everything a week in advance if you can plan ahead like that every single day of your vacation. The beach is pretty, but there were red flags up some days and lifeguard warning us not to go in the water due to riptides. Also seaweed - yes there is seaweed. Sometimes there was a lot on the beach and in the water.. we had to swim out a ways past it. Some days it was clear. It's the season so temper your expectations and hope for the best! Staff tried to clear it as best as they can but it's an ongoing problem out of their control. Seating around the pools goes QUICK! I watched people place sunscreen and towels out to reserve daybed or chairs and then never saw them again for hours. Staff doesn't do anything to help so if you want a prime location get up early and claim your spot especially at the RE Family pool. Food is just ok, the buffet has good variety but quality is hit or miss. Some foods had labels and some didn't so sometimes it was a bit of a mystery - lucky we don't have food allergies. Drinks are not very good - just average(I never saw anything top shelf quality) but my kids enjoyed the "sandos smoothie". The pools are nice but the get quite warm by midday almost like a hot tub. Room service takes forever - up to an hour or more sometimes so just order ahead if you want it. I booked through a RE member hoping to get some extra benefits but so far I haven't really seen any. Concierge wasnt been very helpful for us. We tipped well and were polite to everyone but service is just average. We request a late check out and were elated when the VIP concierge told us we could have access to our room for an extra 1.5 hours to allow a little time to shower and prepare for our travel day. Imagine our surprise when we arrived to the room at 11:30 full half hour before check out time (noon) when we were told we could remain in the room until 1:30... only to find out bracelet keys were deactivated and we were locked out! I messaged via WhatsApp and never received a response. When I told the RE Concierge at check out what happened, he simply shrugged and blamed their "internal systems" and said the concierge where probably busy when I messaged and he would pass it along to his boss. No apology or accountability. Not a great way to end the trip. Maybe my standards and expectations were too high but I don't know that we would return to this resort just because there are so many places to try! Many of the returning members we spoke to in the pools mentioned that some of the featured they had enjoyed in previous seasons were no longer available and things seemed a bit more rundown. Since it was I first time there I can't really speak to that but it was interesting to hear. We had also planned to do a day trip to the sister resort Caracol but were warned by a guest in the pool that the cenotes were foamy and dirty, the pools were not as clean, and the beach is eroded and basically nonexistent. So we skipped that taxi ride and saved some pesos! Some people mentioned having trouble with the shuttles, yes people jump on right in front of you and don't wait their turn... very rude but we didn't mind the walking once we learned the way around. The grounds are beautiful and there are lots of animals to see! Monkeys, agoutis, coatis, raccoons, many birds and of course the cats! If you made it this far, thanks for reading! As a disclaimer for the Sandos diehards out there this is just MY OWN personal experience. I did some research and joined FB pages prior to visiting and yes it is helpful to hear the tips from the seasoned travelers... but it's not all sunshine and rainbows. read more

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Trip, Oct 12-22, 2023 Making this review on our 3rd day. This is our 8-10th time in the Maya Riviera and this is our least favourite resort and worst experience to date. 2 adults and 2 kids, aged 6 & 10. Provided feedback in the first 24hrs and they didn't address anything. Gave them an opportunity to make things right, but they just don't care. I'm sure someone will respond to this review, but they already had an opportunity, so too late already. We won't be back at any Sandos resorts, ever! Book of you like, but honestly, there are so many better options out there. ISSUES * After check-in, nobody brought our luggage and we didn't know where to go. Our friends checked in the next night and same thing. * Fridge in the room is not cold. Called to fix and they never came. * Buffet was terrible. Food was old and cold. Server walked past us for 15 minutes before we asked for drinks, which he took, but informed us later that the bar was closed (10:30pm) at buffet. No juice or milk for the kids. Get there early. * Shuttle driver wouldn't stop for ppl when there was room. It's way too busy for only a single shuttle. It's a frenzy trying to get on and ppl literally jump on before it comes to a stop. Best just to walk and find the best route. * Buffet is so far away from our room. You want to eat, pack up your family, take the golf cart, eat, take the cart back and find another spot. Very inconvenient and takes a couple hours! * Different section for different guests? Need diff. Colour bracelets. Feels like we're lower class citizens and can't explore every bar, restaurant or pool? Royal elite, etc. even room service for Elite is different. You're not allowed to explore the whole resort as a "regular" guest. * Room service options is bad. No fries, burgers, etc. just sandwiches. Poor selection. No kid friendly options except for ham & cheese tortillas. * Restaurants are already booked up for the next 3 days * Towel cards is a money grab. Something to stress over while trying to have a relaxing vacation. * Elevator is not working * No towels at the kids pool * Cart took 34 minutes to come get us from the beach * Drinks taste different each time you order it. It's like they make it up, not consistent. Kids slushies is just strawberry or mango, that's it and they are way to sweet. Tequila is really bad and they put salt in the paper cup they serve you in??? * Buffet food is just terrible. Fries are soggy, dishes are the same each night, no variety. Cold, not hot plates keeping the food hot. * Daily room cleanup didn't replace glassware and left no towels in the room. * Have to order ice from room service * Ketchup at the pool bar was liquid, like watered down tomato sauce. * Most staff just don't care. No attention to detail. Usually staff speak/understand a little English, but not here. * Evening entertainment is so incredibly bland. No excitement whatsoever. * If you want to purchase anything, take a trip to Playa Del Carmen, because the prices at their store are outrageous. The good * beach is amazing * Kids areas will keep your kids entertained for hours. * Rooms are spacious and nice * Pillows and beds are really comfortable * Not too busy when we went, so always room at the pool/chairs * Music at the pool is great read more

Sandos Playacar - This is 5 star? - Hotels Near Me - Playacar, ROO

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First family vacation. I guess I expected more...I did not appreciate the heavy push to become elite members. That was a drag and not part of my vacation experience. Nonetheless my kids loved it - it was their first time traveling. My husband was not impressed with the very outdated room and the very limited tv channel options. Food was ok. Drinks were ok not great. Room service was ok. But again not what was expected, especially for what we paid. I give them a three star to be nice but I think a two might be better. The place itself is beautiful but be careful look between the cracks and there are many.... The place is dated surrounded by lush greenery so it's easy to be deceived. Would I come back hmmm idk.... read more

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The resort is alright, good food but the pools suck, the drinks are very watered down And I absolutely do not recommend the nail salon, they are not professional nail techs at all and do absolutely horrible work, no refund after being disappointed and stuck paying $171 !?!?! For a mani/pedi shelac. I am so pissed and the whole experience ruined my trip read more

Sandos Playacar - Hotels Near Me - Playacar, ROO

We totally enjoyed our stay here and would do it again in a minute. Check in was smooth, our room was clean and tidy with daily service, the food and drinks are good with lots of variety and the beach is immaculate. All the staff we encountered were super friendly and helpful. We really liked the Mexican and French restaurants and found ourselves having lunch on the beach everyday. We did get the Select, Adults only package which was worth every peso. The beach vendors are at a minimum compared to other places I've been. It was so nice to lounge under the rustling palms and watch the ocean. There are so many things to do there, one could probably stay for a month and not duplicate any. I do recommend the Select package if you're not traveling with children, as there are places only that gold band will get you into. The spa is another great place to visit, complete with wet and dry saunas, hot tub and cold hydrotherapy pools. The showers are stocked with all the essentials and Sandos Special message package is an excellent choice for a relaxing body treatment. When they pull that warm, weighed blanket over you, your body melts like butter. I also really liked that the chip to control the locks on your door and the lockers at the spa is located right on your wristband, so you don't ever have to worry about losing or finding your room key. One of my favorite moments was sitting poolside, drinking a pina colada and listening a surf band play live music. There was a small bit of construction going on, as they were finishing up some new buildings on the property but no noise or otherwise that interfered with our stay. read more

Sandos Playacar - Hotels Near Me - Playacar, ROO

Pros: -All inclusive for food and drinks -Adults only pool and beach -Good variety of restaurants -Off the beaten path, in the jungle -Wildlife -Massages were amazing Cons: -Facilities and rooms were not up to date -Restaurant reservations are not intuitive and they do not like walk ups -On-site excursion vendors are a little dishonest and will say what they can to get you to sign up -Limited staff -Not many activities besides 1 evening show -Night clubs are closed -Hard to get to the resort; do not try to drive to it by yourself at night (you will get lost) -Long response time for room-service Overall we had a good time at the resort. For the price, this was a great all inclusive resort but you need to know what you are paying for; which is primarily just the food and drinks. The facilities are okay and I did appreciate the adults only beach and pool but they were understaffed. The towel exchange never had enough towels, all the bars had only 1 or 2 bartenders, limited guest service staff, and limited entertainment. I know these are a lot of negatives but since we went primarily for the views and inclusiveness, we had a great time. Especially since we went with friends. The girlfriend and I did go to the spa for a couples massage (it was on sale). The spa facility itself was a little underwhelming with a small dry sauna, a dark/creepy wet sauna (steam room), and a underwhelming pool. We also only got access to the spa amenities for an hour before the messages and could not use it the rest of the day. Now the massages... THEY WERE AMAZING. We got the 50 min massage with facials and these people knew what they were doing! We felt so good afterwards and they were very responsive to sensitive areas. I do recommend this place to others and I will make sure I backup the recommendation with expectations. If you want a place to go eat and drink as much as you want within a great environment, this place is for you. If you are looking for amazing facilities, prompt response times, and amazing customer service then you may want to look at the more expensive resorts. P.S. Seek & Go (the excursion vendor) was terrible! Be sure to ask for detailed itinerary, location of excursion, and travel arrangements. We got stuck on a 2+ hour commute to our sailing adventure which then limited our time on the boat. Then when we needed a ride back we had to argue with them to even send a shuttle to come get us! We ended up waiting over an hour to get picked up and did not get back to the resort until 10:30 PM which made us miss our dinner reservations. So be cautious using Seek & Go. read more

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Don't waste your time or money , the staff is Medicare at best in most positions the hotel is in major need of repair and maintenance the ac leaks like a waterfall the keyless entry doesn't work on most rooms and be prepared to walk in 92 degree heat back on forth from and to the lobby a few times and only when you get frustrated is when they will decide to help open your door, I found a stale piece of bread in the room as soon as we checked in , the hostes of the hibachi rest is a tool , separated a wedding group of family members that flew in from 6 different places in the world because she just couldn't figure out how to be able to sit us all down at the same time when we had even made reservations -also no working ac on that restaurant where they literally build up flames for a hibachi show so your food will be drenched in your own sweat before you start eating it , once you get to the "private beach " you will find 10 metric tons of rotting sargasm so the beach was out for us, oh and by the way if you try to just relax and look at the ocean there will be a person holding a massage for sale sign in between you and your desired view , on top of that will get asked about 20 times per day sometimes by the same lady if you want to pay for a a massage so resting isn't an option when you just have to dodge constant pushy sales tactics, my sister got married here and before the ceremony was even complete the staff was already taking all the arrangements down no uniform just plain clothes staff so all of our celebratory photos of the well dressed family will be photo bombed by the staff just taking stuff apart, literally 3 minutes after they said I pronounce u husband and wife literally in the middle of the photo sesh, they a started taking everything down . Absolutely pushy . Also requested room service late at night they said sure , never showed up unbelievable . Tried to bring breakfast to my fiancé in the room told me I couldn't do that either so I'm not sure how this makes any sense . This was about 25 to 30 people we had in our group granted the wedding planner Carlos was amazing but for the rest of the experience , pretty lame . Put it this way if you want to go to a resort where at the very end you'll think what tha heck did we do ? This is it , if you want something where everything is a positive experience do not give this place a chance , absolutely NOT worth it , only got 1 star because there's coatis everywhere read more

My husband and I are sooooo impressed with the Sandos Playacar all inclusive Beach Resort in Playa del Carmen. Playa del Carmen was a safe location for travelers that is gated off to only who are living there or visiting. We went here for our honeymoon in Oct and it was perfect weather and so relaxing. We were able to dodge the crazy party crowds for the most part because it wasnt during summer or spring break. This resort has delicious food and its worth it to spend the additional money to stay on the adult section if you would like more privacy and access to a little quieter adult beach and extra adult breakfast dinning. You also get to stay in an adults only side. Moleno is the most attentive and helpful employee that will greet you at check-in. He speaks multiple languages and will take you to your room in a cart so you dont have to walk so far. He will guide you and let you know the places to go and is a really nice guy. The beaches were beautiful and not crowded. There was plenty of room for us to find a place to sit on the chairs in the shade under plam trees and umbrellas. The pools were beautiful with bars located right there and a huge chess board, but who needs a pool when you have a beach. You can get towels with your towel card located at the pools. There are excursions you can buy onsite in a building to go anywhere you want. They have a club where they play a lot of American club music and it doesn't get too crowded unless there was just a beach wedding that took place. You are able to rent bikes and ride them around Playa del Carmen. We rode them in the gated section and it was safe and we got to see some of the town. They keep your fridge and water cooler filled up at no extra charge and you can get any type of alcohol you like at any of the bars. There are several mixed drinks. The Miami Vice was our favorite. There is a schedule for entertainment daily and its worth going to a little early to get a good spot. There was a Shakira performer, marvel character show, Michael Jackson performance, AC/ DC show, Mexican performance and more. Its great for a family and entertaining for couples to watch. The food was the best and of course included. There are 5 different restraunts to try out including the buffet that never has a wait. I recommend getting to the Brazilian Steakhouse and Asian restaurant early to put your name on the waiting list. El Goucho is Argentinan style and they come to you to slice the meat off the squewers. Its fabulous and probably the best meat we have tasted. The skirt steak and Sirloin steak melt in your mouth. Samuel is the best server from the Steakhouse and will accommodate you in any way he can. We loved it so much we went back again. The Italian restraunt Il Poemonte had delicious food and more of fine dining. Mario provided the best customer service and was so attentive to our newlywed needs. The Salmon, Octopus, Ciopinno, Rissoto, Linguini was to die for. They had music and some performers dancing. The Mexican restaurant The Gourmex was our overall favorite. We went there 2 times and were so impressed. It was more fine dining and the ambiance was romantic. You just tell them you are there on you honeymoon and they get a romantic table set up right away. The Tampiquena beef tenderloin, the sea bass, stuff Chicken breast and the chocolate cake are sooo worth the calories. Marcela was the best hostest that went out of her way to make our last day romantic and special. She was so nice and thoughtful. She provided excellent customer service. This resort was great and all employees went out of their way to ensure we had the perfect honeymoon. It was memorable and we definitely will try to come back another time. read more

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Once again I sitting here at midnite waiting for room service that was ordered at 7pm. Was then told at 10:55 that everything is under Lock And key and May not happen. Once again Elias tried to resolve it he was leaving his shift leaving Luis in charge . He said he would take care of it to give him 35 mins. So like a fool I did . Then room service came with chocolate milk...... which I called again and then room service would come it is now 12:15 . The kids are asleep .... This is ridiculous. Elias has done as much as he could to assist us but there is only. So much he can do. Our bathroom shower door has not been able to close maintenance came last night to show me how to turn the jacuzzi even he saw how difficult it was and said he would come In the morning to fix. I have towels to prevent the water going everywhere and me from falling . On another note the non- motorized sports are not included you still have to pay 10 per person per day used due for insurance we were told . My daughter also had to wait over and hour for the banana boat after they were told 10 mins . Apparently people wanted to rent jet skis and that takes precedence over the banana boat. I understand they have to make money but don't say it will be 10 mins and 1 hour and half later when jets ski rental come then it's ok. Royal elite there has been several issues with that as well. This has not been a vacation it has been begging for things that you should t have to beg or plead with . You might want to move Elias to a training manager to the staff so they can learn a thing or two about the customer service . I also went to the desk and asked for them to hold a paper . Sandi basically looked me up and down and said sorry we can't . I went back and jaqueline helped me with change and it was a bit difficult for her to exchange 20 dollars .I find this very concerning that a supposed hotel can't exchange 20 dollars . I will say that I went to caracol Sandos for the morning . They were very attentive to the royal elite bands. Informative and very helpful what a difference . At sandos playacar it's like u have to basically repeat over oh royal elite status ..which is quite annoying .The car ride price change and honestly they should have a shuttle going to and from and not knickle and dime for things . read more

Sandos Playacar - Cake - Hotels Near Me - Playacar, ROO

very big. far from beach. chaise lounges not comfortable. food and drink service mediocre. specialty restaurants only open by reservation 3 days in advance only for dinner, breakfast and lunch are buffet and same day after day. liked the Italian restaurant. checked out earlier by 2 days. didn't get the money back or credit towards a future stay . it was $634. so they pocketed that. read more

The resort is way to big.... Food terrible and it's almost impossible to make a reservation at a resteraunt. Will never recommend

First of all, the bathrooms and rooms are stuck in the 80s. Their roofs are leaking and ready to bust. In the FAQ section it states that you can get Wi-Fi in the room- yet the concierge informed me that Wi-Fi is not always accessible in the rooms. Don't get me started on the size of this resort and the fact that the amount of golf carts to transport you around are little to none (10-15min wait). Lastly, we arrived at 2p and were told our room would be ready by 3p, 3p comes around and the front desk has NO IDEA when the room will be ready. We come back later in the day to find our luggage outside the lobby and hadn't been dropped off at our room -zero communication- To wrap it up it's are first night here and we want a refund. read more

Sandos Playacar - FAQ section - Hotels Near Me - Playacar, ROO

I have been to several Sandos resorts as I am also a Royal Elite Vacation Club member. Which if you're unfamiliar with that you will know what that is and what benefits you'll get with that when you arrive. With that said, I'll get right to it and say that the grounds, amenities, staff, and rooms were great! Our room was decent and beds were comfortable. Just as I stated above, I am a Royal Elite Member and stayed in the Royal Elite section so my review on the rooms and beds might be different from others. This resort is huge! I'll say again this resort is huge! Definitely one of the bigger Sandos we have been to in terms of just the sheer size and layout. Good news is they do offer a trolley/golf cart transportation with pick ups and drop offs at different stops. There are several restaurants at this resort with 2 being a buffet style and 5 others being actual A La Carte style restaurants that you will need a reservation for. Again as Royal Elite members we were able to make our reservations for the restaurants before we arrived at the resort so we were able to get a day and time convenient for us. For everyone else you will need to make those dinner reservations once you check in. Do not skip this and think I'll just make a reservation later because the chances are there will be no availability. I'll cut straight to it and say skip the Brazilian Steakhouse restaurant. You're welcome! All of the others were great and highly recommend! As I stated the resort is huge and there are plenty of pools and even an adults only pool/section. Pro tip: Go to the buffet here versus the main one. Less people, and to be honest even though the food at both were the same it just seemed fresher and tastier here. There is also a great pool with chairs built into the them with hydro therapy that anyone can use which is located at the Spa. Highly recommend this place as it was the most relaxing place in the entire resort to just hang out in a bungalow and chill. Oh and the staff at the spa were the best! Hands down that was the best massage my wife and I have had yet! The fitness center is also located here and we were very impressed with how much weights and equipment they had. Beaches were great and unfortunately the sargrasso is there all the time it'll just depend on when you go and how bad it is at that time. Even with it, the beach is still great and very relaxing. They usually have hammocks up on the beach and even brag and post pictures about them on their social media sites. But the entire time we were there they never put them up. Not a deal breaker but just a little disappointed. Also the other good news is 5th Avenue is only 2 to 3 kilometers (1 to 2 miles) away from the resort and highly recommend checking it out while you're there. It is definitely walk-able but if you choose to take a cab it'll cost around 10 USD. 5th Avenue if I had to describe it would be family activities, shopping, street vendors, bars, and clubs all kind of blending together. It's an experience you and your family should try. All in all Sandos Playacar is good but not great compared to the Sandos in Cabo, Cancun, and even the other Sandos in Playa Del Carmen called Caracol. FYI: As a perk of staying at Sandos you're allowed to visit other locations for the day and I would highly recommend Sandos Carocol as they have a better water park and a really great cenote on site. We would give Sandos Playacar another chance at some point but right now when we make another trip to Playa Del Carmen we will probably book at Sandos Caracol. read more

I stayed at Sandos Playacar June 2024 and compared to other all inclusive hotels in Cancun this one has been the worse. Upon arrival check in was fast but we didn't get any help with our luggage or assistance getting to the room so we did get lost. We had the cheapest room so we were far in the back of the resort but we expected that as we had a promotional fare. What we did not expect was a old, muggy room. It was so old it looked dirty. The tub was yellow and yellow water came out of it. The closet had a vent cover that was off and open so you could see the construction dirt and pipes through it and we had a lizard in our bed. To get to the front of the resort we had to take a golf cart that fitted approximately 20 people. This cart only came every 15 minutes and there was no line or organization to get into it so it was a fight to get it most of the time. The walk was long but we had to walk a lot in order to get to the front of the resort. I gave them two stars because the food was good and the front of the resort was beautiful including their beach. read more

This place is HORRIBLE. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE AT ALL. If your room is located towards the front of the resort near the lobby, you are stuck taking a tram that takes you to the back of the resort towards the beach area where there is a buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Keep in mind this tram sometimes takes 20 minutes to reach you and when it does there's is so many people waiting for it that you might not even get a chance to get on. The back is also where their show stage and "club" are located. Club sucks, it is tiny with little to no dance floor. The food is mediocre at most, the only decent thing about this place are their alcoholic drinks. For the price of this place you'd expect the best but no, it is the worst. read more

My family and I stayed at your property from 8/19-8/25.  Our last name is Archambault and occupied rooms 2233 and 2103.  We enjoyed our stay for majority of our stay but I must say I would give your resort a 3 out of 10.   The was not attention to detail when we called for help on multiple occasions such as a persistent air conditioning leak in the room my wife and I occupied. As you can see,we had to use one of our bath towels. Eventually a maintenance tech came by and fixed the problem.  This is not something I would expect from a luxury resort as yours. Secondly,in our kids room,room 2103 their safe never worked,and it took almost the whole week to have their TV fixed. In addition,my daughter wanted to lay down due to having a migraine. She walked in her room as saw luggage belonging to another family. Needless to say she was shocked that security was breached that someone would enter her room without her knowledge.  She called the front desk and the told her she needed to stay and watch the bags.  First of all,the luggage did not belong to her or my son,it was not her responsibility,and her safety felt compromised.  In fact,she had to remain in the room until the owners of the luggage came by to collect their property.  The situation was awkward and unsafe and I hold you responsible.  This is absolutely unacceptable and request a 2 day credit for room 2233 and 2 day credit for room 2103.  When the situation was discussed with Adrian and/or Enrique they dismissed the issue and said we need to discuss with our agent Priceline.  Your ownership and follow through for a resort of your caliber is nothin short of pathetic. We contacted Priceline per your request and they indicated you washed your hands of the issue.  I am here to tell you that I am not going away and I know you thrive of 10/10 reviews to promote your hotel even though the surrounding area is under multiple investigations of gang activity Unfortunately we will never return to Sandos, as there were some great experiences as well such as the servers,the bars,the food,the grounds.  It's the details and follow through and dismissiveness is where you fail. read more

The room was okay. Small shower for the suites with no shelving so had to leave the door open each time. The best part of the trip was the entertainment! Alan and Brandon were SEXY SEXY! They helped make our time fun and memorable. We still wear our bracelets and still ask each other "how we feeling?!" Thank you crew!! read more

Sandos Playacar review- 3 Stars Positive: -Price is good -Large resort -Food is decent for price -Checking in and out process was good -Multiple Swimming Pools -Multiple restaurants available -Free Bike rental nice -Little market nearby (7min bike ride there) -Bike Tour was nice and included -There is Golf carts available for transportation (can be long wait though) -Required mask at restaurants -Friendly and courteous staffs -Bracelet key to door -Internet/Wi-Fi is good -No timeshare speech at all -No pressure to purchase things/etc Negative: -Too many mosquitos (prob can find better ways to control mosquitos) -Cups were not clean and smells like wet/unvented. Too many times we found floating things in them. -No bottle waters available at all (not even for bike ride? -No drinks or food service available at the pool -Room service food was limited and long wait time (No hamburger or pizza for room service) -Overall food freshness was ok, but few times fruits were rotten and smelled -Dinner reservations limited. We didn't know that you can choose 1 person and put note for multiple people. Not much availability. Pretty confusing. -Not enough kids activities -Fridge drinks was warm, not cold -No ice machine Unique things: -Lots of cats on resort (they have cat land) -More unique creatures (even saw bats) -They have Riviera Family section/Royal Elite/Adult Section Tips: Make sure to smell all good before eating. We had 4 family members got food poisoning. My husband ate an orange and then didn't swollen and smelled it and it was bad. Inspect the drinks also, cups got floating things and smells. read more

I stayed here with my family for 17 days. As a normal guest, you can only use 1/3 of the resort. There are extra packages such as club Elite and then you can use everything. This was not communicated to us in advance. For my two teenage daughters there was no animation. The only pool we could use (on the beach) was so polluted that my daughter got an ear infection. The food: the main buffet is the same every night. The theme restaurants are fully booked and we barely got in between. We also lay in bed all 4, 2 days with food poisoning. According to the doctor on had park Costa Med we were not the only one. So we asked the reception for a separate room so that we could sleep separately. They couldn't do anything about this. A shame. We missed our excursion because of this. No excuses from management, nothing. For us 12,000Euro wasted. We will never come back here. Oohja a bag of chips and 2 small bags of candy, 35USD. Completely crazy. Air conditioning made loud noise. read more

Sandos Playacar - Hotels Near Me - Playacar, ROO

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Currently staying here. Food is DISGUSTING. Rules and instructions are very unclear. Property is confusing and you have to rely on a slow shuttle to get around. Good luck getting a reservation at a restaurant. The buffet is the only option and I feel I will get sick soon from it. Do not stay here. Edit: Don't be bummed out if you can't get a reservation - it's no better than the buffet. Took one bite and walked out. read more

FUCK THIS PLACE. first up, the people are rude. and do not know how to communicate, my family paid in full of 3500 and they fucked up and said they could not find our reservation after we had traveled all the way here from TEXAS. WHY WOULD WE COME HERE WITH NO HOTEL. we are not dumb. then proceeded to make us pay 500 deposit for the night until we were able to get to reservations the next morning.!!!! read more