Playacar Palace Hotel

My wife and I spent two weeks (February 4th until February 18, 2006) at the Playacar Palace. We had a very enjoyable stay and the resort is a true five star facility working very hard to be the best in the region. We highly recommend staying at the resort and will not hesitate to return or suggest it to friends. Resort: The Palace Resorts have done a fantastic job of totally remodeling the old Continental Plaza Playacar (yes, we have stayed there) into a new facility with a stunning new look. When arriving at the resorts main entrance we were slightly dismayed at the pure white and sterile (even drab) look the resort presented as the first impression. However, once you go into the resort and take in the whole picture (especially the ocean side with the pool area and view of the rooms with the balcony’s) you want to say “wow.” I asked about the pure white color scheme and was told this represents the status (superior) of the resort and this was the “new” look of Mexico. The resort probably has one of the best locations in Playa. It is about 100 yards from the start of 5th and very close to the ferry pier. During the day you can watch, from the pool area, all the activities going on at the pier and watch the cruise ships off shore. At night you can stroll 5th with all their shops or even try one of the restaurants if you get tired of the food at the resort. The pool is rather small, but then again this resort only has 210 rooms and the pool was large enough with a nice design. There are plenty of places for the lounge chairs and a nice section on the north side of the pool that is away from the noise of the music and activities. The resort was full when we were there and there were always some empty lounge chairs. The best part of the pool area is they have sitting chairs you can use and not just loungers. They currently have only 29 large umbrellas for shade but they have more on order. Rooms: We stayed in room 243 (they upgraded us), which was the honeymoon suite, and it was near perfect. It had a separate living room and a very large balcony that was situated right by the ocean. The two person Jacuzzi was huge (same as all the rooms) and was a nice treat for the two evenings that were cool. We did look into a couple of the standard rooms and they seemed very nice. Every room has a small refrigerator that they keep well stocked plus a liquor cabinet. Great shower with plenty of pressure and hot water. The bed we had was very comfortable and not too hard. Now, if they could only make the towels a little softer. They supply you with robes and slippers. In some of the posts, there have been reports of falling plaster. The only falling plaster we saw was around some of the doors to the rooms. This is caused by the slamming of the door if the sliding glass door is open to the balcony and the wind blows it shut. The resort is trying different types of plaster to solve this problem and might go to a resin like substance. Staff: The staff is a mix of local people and temporary assignments from some of the other resorts closed in Cancun. However, they are all good and trying their hardest. Special kudos go to: Rosa: She is a waitress at the pool who lives in Playa Del Carmen and is one of the hardest workers I have seen. Her English is limited (she is self taught) but trying to learn more. She is also very shy but try to get to know her a little and she will open up. David: Works in the restaurant and not shy at all. Very hard worker who never stops smiling. He also has an impish personality and likes to have fun. Leo (“Skinny Boy” from the Beach Palace) and Mercedes are activity staff that was great. Sorry I forget the other girls’ name or I would mention her. They work very hard to keep the people entertained but are not pushy about it. Alicia: Is with guest services and has a great personality. Her challenge was to get my wife and I to go on a VIP tour. My challenge was to avoid the tour and still find out the information I wanted. It was a great game the two of us had (we never did the tour) and she was always great about it. Not pushy at all. Sandor: Last, but not least, was Sandor who is the resorts Public Relations Manager. Sandor seemed to spend most of his time making sure your stay was the best it could be. The best part was you did not have to try to find him, he would find you. We were at breakfast one morning and he was going through the restaurant asking people how their stay was and if there were any problems he could help with. If there were problems he would start immediately trying to resolve it (if it could be resolved). Throughout our stay I had several opportunities to visit with him. All in all, all the staff were very nice. They make it a point to meet you (including the chiefs and management) and try to make you feel welcome. We were walking down 5th one night and passed one of the chiefs and she went out of her way to say Hola to us. Restaurants: There were three main restaurants at the resort (OK – only one open nearly all the time) and the food was very good for an All Inclusive. They work very, very, hard to make your dinning experience excellent. Of course, like all buffet food (at the Mexican/International Restaurant), I wish they could make it hotter. Very good selections with high quality throughout and excellent presentation. Nit Picking: There is no beach. Of course, there is a small beach right next to the resort (and a big beach about 100 yards away) but I would like to see the beach back. As part of the Cancun beach reconstruction they are going to pump in a new beach for the Playacar Palace and widen the beach next door at the Xaman-Ha. This should be done in the next 24 to 36 weeks (according to Sandor and he stressed 36weeks). There could be better signage around the resort to help you find things (yes I know, only 210 rooms). I got lost with all the white and finding were I was after walking up the stairs the first day. Of course my wife says I am lost a lot of the time anyway. Finally, like all new homes, there are little things that either need to be fixed or replaced. I am not going to talk about the little things (well, maybe they could tell me why they move the butter to a new location every day at the buffet when they do not change the location of the bread) since no place is perfect. They are trying very hard, but not perfect yet.

We are from the UK and have just returned from 2 weeks at the Playacar Palace (1-15 Feb). Long flight but well worth it. Hotel very clean, rooms very spacious (huge bed & very comfy!), staff extremely friendly and good quality food. A few minutes stroll from the centre of Playa del Carmen with lots of shops/bars/restaurants, but far enough away for no noise. A few small negative points were: 1. Slight lack of communication with guests, i.e. had to change rooms as given a double rather than King as we'd requested. Found out on day 3 that King was ready on day 2 but we were not told. Also our tee time for golf was changed without us being informed, luckily we were already at the club when we found out so there wasn't a problem. So I would suggest just to double check if you've booked/requested anything. 2. They want you to attend a 90 min talk about new Palace Hotel news/celebrations etc., they give you $100 Palace dollars if you go, but it's a sales pitch, so be prepared. We didn't go this time as last time we holidayed here we did go and ended up buying (hence this holiday!!).. they can be very persuasive! If you do decide to buy, haggle hard and don't be brow beaten, as they do drop their prices/change their packages extensively if pushed hard enough. This AI holiday was free (ex flights) as part of our deal. However, I would recommend you visit Mexico at least a couple of times independently to ensure it's definitely the right choice for you before you buy into their scheme, as although there are other options, so far the majority of their hotels are in this area. 3. They do like their pool actvities.... so if you don't want to listen/take part, sit away from the pool. 4. Spa treatments. We had some free treatments but the booking process was busy & tedious. Book early if you want treatments as it took us 3 days to find the desk free. Maybe we were just unlucky, I don't know. They will try to upgrade you, so be firm about what you want. Spa/Golf club was a nice 25 min stroll away, but free shuttles went every 35 minutes. Very organised with taxi's/shuttles at reception for every requirement. The hotel was predominantly American middle aged/older couples. We didn't notice any other UK people there. However there were some younger families and couples there also, and for them there is a kid's club and shallow areas of the pool and livelier night life in Playa del Carmen (which tends to be priced only slightly cheaper than UK). We are mid 40's and it suited us fine. There were 3 restaurants; Italian & Chinese were a la carte and there was the Mexican Buffet. On the whole, all were very nice although I did find some of the food in the buffet to be warm rather than hot, but still nice. We did have upset tummy's a couple of times, we believe it was the quantity not quality that was the problem!! The breakfasts/lunches have an unbelievable choice and we just chose too many things! If you don't ask you'll usually get the local brand of alcohol, but if you want branded, just ask by name and there is absolutely no problem. We occasionally tipped, but it's not necessary. Staff are helpful & happy whether you do or don't. Our trip to Excaret was excellent. Take a change of warmer clothes for the shows later though (they have lockers). It's cheaper to get a taxi than book through an agent as it's only a $10 ride away from this hotel. A trip to downtown Cancun was not to our liking, very busy roads, not much of interest to see and constantly hassled to go into shops/restaurants. Beach washed away by Wilma, but we were told there was going to be a man made beach in a few months time. Lovely beaches nearby though. Obviously lots of rebuilding going on around, but not intrusive. All in all a good time was had. Weather was a little unsettled and sometimes quite breezy, but still warm. It could be cloudy one minute and blazing sunshine the next. Last visit was a couple of years ago in late Dec/early Jan and the weather was fantastic then. Hope this has been of help. If you choose to go there is no reason we can think of why you won't have a good time.

If you want a feel for the hotel see my photos! If you have any questions e-mail me. Trip advisor helped us and I just want to return the favor. Look up Juan or Oliver in the Mexican restaurant. They will take great care of you. Ask Oliver for the Goochy Goochy shot, it's my favorite. Get in the ocean. It’s like bath water. Walk down 5th ave and people watch. The only downfalls was the pool activity people after me to get involved in activities. Let me sit and relax, I hate to dance. Have Fun, thebrowns8@hotmail.com

The Playacar Palace is in a "Great Location". We spent much time on Fifth Ave, the ladies shopping and the guys at the cantinas. We played a round of golf on their nearby championship course. The course is excellent. We took day trips to the Adventura Palace & The Moon Palace via their free shuttle.(these hotels are very impressive). The Service was very good in most cases. The Food was good in most cases, but could be improved. The room was nice, but we had to switch because we had no view.(they accomadated us after 3 days) The pool area was nice, but the water was cold. Not many people in the pool. No trouble getting lounge chairs. The drink service was very good with primo booze. Next Year We will try the Moon Palace.

I just returned home from Playacar Palace. We were there with a group and had a wonderful time. The minute I sat down at the pool, I had a waitress ask me for a drink. She was a dream and on top of keeping me happy and my drink full. The food was fair but the drinks were great. They poured drinks freely and generously. There were a lot of older couples there planning to stay weeks at a time. Not sure what they were going to do for two weeks except reserve their beach chairs at 7 am in the morning. There are plenty of chairs in a small space to lay out. The other reviews are correct in saying there is not a beach. You can access the ocean from the pool area but just for a swim. If you want to walk or layout on a beach, then you just have to go 300 yards to find it. The rooms were wonderful and clean. The products used in the hotel smell wonderful and the beds very comfortable. Nice hotel, that has first class service. I stayed at the sister property Advertura and it was not as nice in terms of service and attention to detail. Both were nice but Playacar Palace was much better. We did a spa day. The spa is located about 10 minutes from the hotel. Nice spa that is clean and offers many services. My husband and I had a relaxing 80 min massage where they also stretched you during the massage. Very nice. Many in our group played golf and enjoyed the course and said it was a tough course to play. Thankfully the beverage gal came around often to take the pain away!! The hotel is also steps away from 5th Avenue which is a fun area to shop and eat away from the hotel. Very happening place with lots to do and offer. I recommend eating at Yaxche (on Calle 8 between Aves 5 and 10). Excellent restaurant that offers very fresh food and great service. You will want a break from the hotel food that seems to be the same thing each meal! But that is what you get in an all inclusive deal. My husband and I cannot wait to come back. We had a wonderful time with our group and together as a couple. The only thing missing was the exercise gym. I heard that it is coming soon.

For a newly opened hotel the Playacar Palace was great. We stayed there the end of January. In response to an earlier review I thought I would give an update. The elevators all worked fine. The music around the pool was not loud and I do not like loud music so I would have noticed this. We saw no plaster falling off of the walls or holes in the ceiling. There were workers around the hotel. We heard no noise during the early morning or late afternoon. We spent the rest of the time at the pool so would not have noticed them at that time. There were "local" laborers working around the hotel. So what? They didn't bother us. We spoke to them, they spoke to us. We are members and had a very nice room. No complaints. Our room was always clean and well stocked. The common areas both inside and out were spotless. The ATM machine was working. The food was some of the best I have had in an all-inclusive. It was especially nice to see some familiar faces of employees that had previously worked at the Cancun and Xpu-Ha Palaces. Everyone needs to try to remember that this area, along with Cancun, is trying to build and rebuild. The employees are mostly from the Cancun area and travel 90 minutes on a bus to work and 90 minutes home. They were not complaining about this, I asked. One thing we did notice is no one! was tipping. We tipped the bartenders, waitresses and waiters, and maids. The ones that saw us tipp seemed surprised and very pleased. Go to the Playacar Palace, relax and have a great time.

We travelled from England on a 10 hours flight - it was worth every penny. The hotel staff were extremely friendly and helpful, courteous and couldn't do enough to please. We stayed a fortnight and would have stayed longer if we could. The people we met at the hotel were very nice and easy to make friends with. I had my three children with me between 21-26 and they enjoyed the stay, although the hotel did not cater much for the younger generation; however, they went to clubs in Carmen in the evening and had a good time that way. We have already booked for this year, this time over Christmas and New Year. I expect a couple of nightss would be gala nights. It's easy for me I only need to carry my DJ, but my wife and daughter would like to know if they need to bring cocktail dress or gown (long dress). It makes a difference when luggage weight is restricted coming back. I would be grateful if you could let us know. Many thanks for your hospitality and we look forward to hear from you.

Just wanted to reccomend this hotel to others. It has a beautiful view and very relaxing. The staff is very nice and helpful.

Our review of the Playacar Palace is more specific. While we were there at the same time as the other reviewers, we saw things through different eyes. We have stayed at the Beach Palace in Cancun several times before and were only at the Playacar Palace because of the nasty girl, “Wilma”! This hotel in our opinion opened way before it should have. We spoke with several other experienced Palace Resorts members and the complaint was always the same. Not quite up to the standard we’ve come to expect. The stark décor is too white, too trendy and too pretentious. Where is feelling of Mexico Trying to hard to be something it’s not. The staff however, even though there wasn’t enough, was great. Everyone is friendly and will go out of their way to try and make you comfortable. Can’t say enough about the staff except for Mario, a supervisor at the Front Desk. He was lazy and full of himself. A few things we encountered on our trip: 1. Elevators that didn’t work. They would stop 3-4 inches below each floor. Watch your step! Other days they were out completely. 2. Stairs had no handrails and they are very steep. The stairs leading from the lobby to the pool only has a handrail in the middle and at night the lights are so bright down the bottom of the handrail that you can’t see the steps and during the day the metal heats up so much, you can’t touch it! 3. No cushions on the furniture on the landing between the lobby and the pool area. It would be a nice place to sit if there were some shade umbrellas and cushions. Very stark and very hot during the day. At night the pool area is lit up like a carnival. 4. There are not enough shade umbrellas around the pool area. 5. The chairs and tables are placed so close together that a person has a hard time moving them to get into a lounge chair. Need to allow some space between chairs. 6. LOUD MUSIC PLAYS ALL DAY!!! I don’t listen to that music at home (Brittney Spears… please!) and it was very hard to have to listen to it all day and most of the night while on vacation. It was so loud you could even hear in our room when the door shut. Which was sad because we would have loved to listen to the ocean. I called to request they turn it down several times, a few times well after 10:00 P.M. (Several other guests also complained.) 7. Plaster falling off the walls everywhere. Constant drilling & hammering. 8. Local laborers all over the place fixing things. 9. Unlit hallways. 10. Big holes in the ceiling with plastering come down. 11. Uneven walkways. Stairs leading down to the restaurants are very steep and again no rails. 12. All 3 of restaurants close between 11:00 – 12:30 and 5:00 6:30!!! That makes no sense. That needs to be fixed. (Room service is available during those times, but you have to sit in your room and wait!) 13.One of the complaints from other owners we spoke with is they felt that Members don’t get the best rooms, but the prospects get them because the Palace Resorts wants them to buy in. That is just wrong to treat owners that way. 14. At one point I had to tell a waiter that the bathroom needed attention, It was dirty, paper towels all over the floor, garbage can overflowing, no toilet paper… 15. Need more help at the spa-scheduling desk. Only one guy, we had to wait more than an hour to sign up then we got a hard sell for more services. 16. No credit card use in the gift store. 17. Member services desk opens at 9:00a.m. should be a bit earlier, say 8:0a.m. 18. I fell and was injured. My accident report was me writing down what happened on a blank sheet of copy paper!!! When I asker Sandor (one of the hotel mangers, who came to speak with me about my accident) why the random step wasn’t more clearly marked, he responded that the hotel has a very strict color theme. Guests put a table over the step, because so many people were tripping on it. 19. Once no toilet paper, no coffee cups, and 3 different days - no conditioner left by maid & we were leaving tips… However, they were brought right away after we called to request them. 20. No Internet station set up. Internet is available if you brought your laptop on vacation!!! 21. ATM machine not in yet.... 22. Love the robes in the rooms, but why not try a lighter weight fabric? 23. Of course there is no beach, So, if you are comfortable with the public beach in town go for it. Maybe a five minute walk. Lots of local color to be observed there. On the other hand – What we loved…champagne and chocolates brought to your room, turndown service with chocolates, good cocktails, good food, friendly service, bellboys are delightful (Carlin & David) Crisp cotton sheets, body pillows, clean rooms, most with balconies, nice big towels and slippers. Jacuzzis in rooms, early morning breakfast service to your room with hot coffee, fresh juice, fresh fruit, warm baked goods and a smile. 5th Avenue was great with lots of shopping, within walking distance. The tour bus drivers were wonderful as well as the entertainment. Pool drink service and they bring chips and salsa. I hope Palace Resorts can bring this hotel up to the standards of excellence that members have come to expect. We hear that the Beach Palace will be replaced with a 17 story glass hotel with swimming pools on the roof. Goodbye to a wonderful hotel, She will be deeply missed. Hopefully they can keep her spirit alive in the new one.

We just returned from Playacar Palace and we had a wonderful time. The location is outstanding, you are close to 5th Ave with the shopping, multiple activities and crowds but once we were back at the hotel we felt like we were in our own quiet oasis. The hotel is beautiful and the staff is superb. Our room was beautiful, spotlessly clean and comfortable. The beds were great, the double jacuzzi a lot of fun and our balcony was private with a wonderful view to the south with the ocean and the beach. The food was great with a lot of various choices and presented in a pleasing manner. The waiters were outstanding, polite and friendly we had wonderful service unlike anything we see in the States when we vacation. The pool area was nice and clean with enough loungers and attentive staff. We knew going so soon after Wilma and this being a new hotel that we would see construction and such but were never bothered by it and marveled at how well they are recovering from the hurricane. The vegetation in the surrounding areas definitely took a hit and will take time to recover. We were very impressed with the hotel and feel that when they get everything completely finished it will be outstanding and we definitely plan to go back again. We especially enjoyed laying on the beach to the south of the hotel and swimming in the clear warm ocean and also walking the beach to the north past the ferry.