Reviews of Sandos Caracol Beach Resort & Spa, Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

submitted by S Talbot - England

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Nov 2008

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

sandra talbot

Comments:

We have just returned from 2 weeks and have had a lovely time!
Upon arrival.....long long ques at the Airport...we waited for over an hour for our luggage!...which is not the best after a 10hour plus flight! the airport staff do not have a hurry up button....approx 45min transfer to the hotel.
Upon arrival at the hotel we found the staff very helpful and efficient, we were expected and everything went smoothly.

The rooms are in need of an update and there was a very noticeable smell of damp! we had cause to change rooms after a few days due to noisy neighbours and our room having a connecting door mad it feel like the guests next door were in the same room as us....however it wasn't a problem at the hotel, after we had logged our complaint we were moved immediately, to a much nicer room! (which had the same damp smell!)...but you must remember the complex is built on a swamp so I suppose it is to be expected ( and you get used to it!.) Air conditioned and mini bar, cleaned every day.

If you go this time of year, please note it drops chilly of an evening! so take something warm.
Also take lots of mosquito repellent....

the staff at the hotel are all extremely friendly - especially Karina in the main Buffet...she was our waitress and cannot fault her at all, she was very friendly and helpful always happy and after our first day, she knew what drinks we preferred and had them ready as soon as we walked in....absolute quality member of staff!

Food is excellent in the main buffet,there is everything you could possibly wish for to suit everyone's taste, a vast variety of food - you will not go hungry! We tried all of the restaurants - and cannot fault any of it, the only one we were not overly impressed with was the chinese, this is only because it wasn't very chinese, and limited choice.

overall the place is immaculate, very clean the grounds well maintained, pools - fab - the beach - glorious! staff are constantly cleaning and gardening.

There are also lots of wildlife living within the complex, raccoons, turtles, exotic birds, bats, variety of lizard's and much more!

The only thing that was disappointing, was the excursions are extortionate prices!
We had every intention of booking a couple of trips, but at the welcome meeting had a jaw dropping experience when we received the price list!...for example to swim with the dolphins would cost approx £300 UK money for the two of us!...that's 4 hour trip!...there are NO cheap excursions....very disappointing and shocking!

And finally....the electric is 120V...so UK battery chargers and Docking stations for Ipods do not work, we had to buy batteries for our camera due to this and since arriving home I have ordered a ipod charger that is compatible anywhere in the world.

Overall the holiday was Great and we would return to the same hotel.

This place RULES! The staff are...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2008

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Miss A Danton

Comments:

This place RULES! The staff are fantastic, the resort is beautiful and not too big ... once you get used to where everything is!!! Giovanni, Isai and the rest of the animation team are all fantastic and are committed to ensuring guests have a great holiday.



There are a few wonky bridges and dodgy pavements however, this IS MEXICO AND IN THE JUNGLE! Just look where you are going and you'll be fine :o)



Really loved my time here ...I want to go back now.



Thanks to you all!!

I have just returned from sandos...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2008

Tour Operator:

Cosmos

Submitted By:

Mrs A DUDLEY

Comments:

I have just returned from sandos caracol after a weeks holiaday with my daughter. i was dubious about this hotel after havin read some of the negative reviews, it seems there was no need to worry at all. there was slight confusion over our room booking but the was rectifide within 24 hours without to much hassle. i did not see any dirty pools or broken tiles as said in a recent review, the staff worked on the grounds daily and were also very polite. everywhere was spotless waiting staff particurlay gabby a waitress in the lobby bar were always polite, cheerful and friendly towards us. the food is very resonalbe considering the number of guests. the italian buffet restaurant was the best that we found. the beach was also very beautiful and the sea was so warm and full of little fish you could just watch swim around you which i found very nice . the rooms were very basic but clean the beds were just as i liked them not to soft and easy to sleep in. the wildlife around the resort was fasanating, all in all a good holiday and i hope to go back in feb.

Our ultimate dream holiday ........

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2008

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Mrs S Butler

Comments:

Our ultimate dream holiday ..... lived up to all our expectations and more! The whole complex is all-inclusive and has something for everybody. Seven restaurants incuding Mexican, Oriental, Mediteranean, Steak House, Italian Laguna and a 24hr snack bar. The food is excellent with lots of variety to suit everyone. Three of the restaurants are booking only which is easily done at guest services. The cocktails are all named brands and available 24/7, even bottles of champagne form part of the all-inclusive package! Your mini bar in your room is stocked every other day at no charge.



Rooms are basic, some with a jacuzzi, but for changing and sleeping in, are just perfect. A daily supply of toiletries are provided along with room and beach towels. Save yourself some excess baggage and leave yours at home.



The complex has a private beach with plenty of sun beds. The beach is golden sand with crystal blue waters, the rocks in the sea were a pain but you could easily see where you were treading. The beach homes kayaking & snorkling which are free of charge. Paragliding & jet ski's carry a charge.



The complex is spotless and is consistently cleaned. The maid service is excellent, nothing is too much trouble. The staff are amazing, so helpful, friendly and accommodating. The swim bar in the main pool was great, however, by the end of the day the pool was murky.



The entertainment is non-stop in the evenings and by the pool thrughout the day. The complex is very secure, we were happy for our teenagers to explore alone and take part in all the entertainment. A kids club is available for youger children.



The highlight of our holiday was swimming with the dolphins and the jeep safari, an absolute must! Quite pricey but worth every penny. Dollars hold more value than the Peso. Use your credit card and expect to pay an extra 5%.



Brfore you leave, upgrade free of charge for Sandos4U card. For this you receive a free room upgrade, a privalte check-in, champagne & fruit on arrival and use of the select club facilities ... an absolute must.



Do pack your jungle strength mosquito spray ... we came back looking like a dot to dot book!

My wife and I stayed at the...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr P Playle

Comments:

My wife and I stayed at the Sandos Caracol 1 week from July 13th 2008. Before we booked, we read a number of reviews on here. As I am sure most of us do now.

I do find it confusing when you get a number of reviews that say brilliant, and a number that say rubbish!

So here is my honest evaluation.



We flew Thompson from Gatwick, the seat configuration was 2-4-2 so there was an extra row crammed in to what we are used to. But there was planty of legroom. the flight is around the 10 hour mark.



Arriving at Cancun airport was ok, nice modern airport but an hour wait to go through passport and collect bags.

The hotel is approx 45 mins transfer from the airport, the guide on the coach was very funny and had us laughing nearly all the way.



First impressions on arriving were positive, the complex is large, well laid out and gives a real impression of grandure. The complex gives the impression it was built within the forrest, there are swamp areas with bridges over them, so there is always an opportunity to spot wildlife.



The rooms are clean bright and tidy. There are two large single beds. The rooms has a safe, which you select your own code. Free mini-bar well stocked with drinks, TV, Aircon which is essential, Bathroom has a walk in shower and twin sinks.



The beach area I must admit is not great, the area is a little rocky. If you walk up the beach to the right you can see the rocks look almost volcanic, you can spot some interesting fossils in some of them. Back on the resort they have gone to some lenghts to improve this by putting up large barriers and filling the infill with sand over the rocks. Not ideal but not a real problem. One review on here states it is impossible wo swim in the sea, that is just a plain daft comment to make.

There are plenty of sunbeds on the beach with own shades, there didn't ever seem to be a problem getting a good spot. So no need to do an early morning raid with the beach towells to reserve a bed.

Part of the all-inclusive gives you access to Canoes and Hobie cat dinghies. ( as long as you can sail ) You have to book these on the day from the beach watersports centre. You get usually one 30 min slot on the Hobies per day, but because it was quiet I managed to get two. There are also Jet ski's and Para sailing available at a cost.



The complex has a number of speciality restaurants which I cannot comment on because I never used them, you have to pre-book these in the morning at reception. The main buffet restaurant can only be described as vast! The food bar must be 70 meters long, there is so much choice and the quality was the best I have ever had. The complex is obviously geared up to cater for our American friends, or I called them " The two platers"

Food is available in some form or another 24 hours a day. Breakfast, Lunchtime, Evening in the restaurants. BBQ on the beach in the afternoon and Burgers, Hotdogs ect from the centre of the complex late evening.



The bar and waiting staff are very friendly, a small two dollar tip goes a long way with a thank you. I do not understand comments on here about the staff not being friendly. I can only presume they would treat you as you treat them!!



I cannot comment on the entertainment as thats not my sort of thing, there is a large arena area where the staff entertain in the evening. It looked a little cheesy but the arena was nearly always full. There are also Pool tables available there.



I am a qualified diver, and was keen to see what the diving was like in the area. I am afraid it was not very good. The dive school on the complex were not very organised, you had to pay up-front and on the day my equipment was not ready. It was chaos!

It was all very rushed and not at all professional. The marine life was not up to the red sea or indian ocean by a long shot!

BUT... The reason we chose Mexico an this area was to see the Whale sharks (June to August) This really was worth the long trip to Holbox island, a really incredible experience. It is worth noting that I made a 60 dollar saving booking through the dive school on the beach rather than booking with the holiday rep.



The rest of the resort has a very impressive spa area, shops, sports facilities ect ect.



To sum up the holiday at Sandos.



GOOD



Food, Friendly staff, brilliant facilities, value for money.



NOT SO GOOD



Mosquitos in the evening, Beach area, Diving school,Hit and miss hot water in the rooms, Some very loud, greedy rude guests from not too far away from Mexico.



A few tips!



Take a good Mossie spray, aqua shoes for the beach, don't forget to save 50 dollars each departure tax leaving Mexico, Research when American colleges break up for holidays ( the alcahol age limit is lower in Mexico than America, so the resort fills up with very drunk students certain times of the year)

The hotel staff were very...

Overall Rating:

5/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

May 2008

Tour Operator:

First Choice

Submitted By:

Mrs A Hall

Comments:

The hotel staff were very friendly and helpful. The service was good until you got to the weekend and then the hotel was overrun with weekenders and then the staff couldn't cope with the extra guests so you couldn't get served at the bar and they frequently ran out of glasses so you were given plastic glasses which were rinsed out and re-used or polystyrene cups. The rooms were kept clean and tidy every day. We couldn't book the restaurant for the first week of our holiday as it was fully booked the day after we got there. We were a party of 20 adults and out of these 17 were ill with varying degrees of stomach upsets some of which put people to bed for a couple of days. A few members got badly bitten and felt sure it came from the beds. The entertainment was very poor and needless to say the theatre was empty most nights. The one highlight of our holiday was a swim with the dolphins it was really good but overall we would not be visiting Mexico again.

6 of us were there for 10 days....

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Jan 2008

Tour Operator:

Booked Independentlyapple

Submitted By:

Mrs CA Dietz

Comments:

6 of us were there for 10 days. The entertainment was great, the food was plentiful. Our rooms were clean (beds a little hard). The staff was very friendly. We enjoyed ourselves. The only draw back was the beach. You really couldn't swim there. You needed to walk further up the beach to find nice swimming. The hotel is only a few minutes drive from Playa Del Carmen. You can also walk the beach & get there in about an hour. We had a GREAT TIME & are coming back this winter.

This hotel was very good 4 star...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Mar 2008

Tour Operator:

First Choice

Submitted By:

Ms R.B Bura

Comments:

This hotel was very good 4 star I say.

Well there is so much to it i might aswell do it in small chunks.



STAFF:

They were really nice and helpfull.

We felt really welcome



ROOMS:

Very nice and clean you have your room cleaned every day you have a minibar wich is restocked every 2 days.

There is one thing that is a bit creepy you the odd cockroaches and spiders but you'll barley realise them.



POOLS:

There are 4 very nice pools 2 of them have bars that you can swim up to, they have a wide range of drinks and cocktails.

The main pool can get a bit crowdy at some times so you'll need to get a deckchair early but the main pool (Pool) 1 is very shallow (3.6ft) its a bit hard to swim in when your an adult

but as I said there are 4 pools. The adult only pool (pool2) is'nt very deep aswell (4.2ft) but its quiter for adutls how prefer no children didsturbing them.

Pool 3 has got a swim up to bar same as the main pool, pool 3 isnt as big though but its (4.6ft) wich could be a bit deep for some children.

Last of all we have a V.I.P pool(4.2ft) I will come to that next, I was a V.I.P so I can access the selectclub areas the V.I.P pool has its on cafe and it has better food and a larger varity than any others.



V.I.P:

V.I.Ps have gold wristbands and non V.I.P have blue.

But with children its different they have differnt colours so the can't get any alcohloic drinks.

V.I.P kids silver, non red.

You also access the select club beach.



And the its all free.

If you want to become one all you need to do is go to the sandos caracol website and signup





BEACH: lovley but a bit rocky water shoes recomended.



FOOD: Was ok but you have to book for some of them



All together the hotel was lovley.



**** 4 star

There wasn’t much to not like...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr Rj Robinson

Comments:

There wasn’t much to not like about this holiday if you are looking for total relaxation. Right from the start we were praising everything, the spacious flights, the warm welcoming staff, and tour rep.



We are very fussy eaters yet we always found something we liked, as there are several restaurants to suit all tastes. There is always food being cooked somewhere so you will never go hungry or have to spend a penny if your all inclusive.



The beach was private to the hotel guests only and with security patrolling you can feel safe to leave belongings and have a dip in the beautiful clear waters.



The negatives of the holiday was a couple of days of bad weather due to it being the stormy season. Also the only place to really go and visit close by is playa Del Carmen. The hotel provide a free bus but a couple of times there was no room for us, so we ended up getting a taxi.



Overall we truly enjoyed our holiday and would definitely revisit the resort and we would definitely use Thomson again.

Flights - My Travel airlines are...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Oct 2007

Tour Operator:

MyTravel

Submitted By:

Mr G Hales

Comments:

Flights - My Travel airlines are Ok, although you do have to pay for drinks and headphones. Flights were on time both ways.



Cancun Airport - Long queues on entry to get passports stamped, and once clearing immigration watch out for the Timeshare Touts before you clear the airport to get your transport on to the resort.



Hotel - Very Good throughout. A total of 6 different restaurants all serving a good variety of food. No complaints at all. 3 A la carte restaurants with 1 booking in each allowed on the AI.



A decent variety of bars, with cocktails available on the AI from most of them.



Pool and beach were fine, plenty of sun loungers available without the need for "reserving" with towels.



Hotel entertainment programme is not bad, but the shows in the evening are a bit cheesy!



Overall a great week away, albeit with a bit of rain towards the end of our time there, I would return one day!

Stayed for 7 days in November -...

Overall Rating:

6/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Nov 2007

Tour Operator:

Conquest

Submitted By:

Mr P Markwick

Comments:

Stayed for 7 days in November - our first all inclusive. We were recommended by a travel agent who had supposedly been there before.



Overall OK but not a 5 star by any means. I would rate it a 3-4. Food was average and the specialty restaurants were awful. The steak place had steaks that were so tough and no flavour. Chinese / Japanese cold food, soggy tempura, but what do you really expect when eating Asian in Mexico!



We did not get sick at all - did not worry about what we ate - tried most of the food there. Very clean and the staff and service was generally very good except for housekeeping that kept forgetting face cloths and towels.



Had a severe case of what I thought were mosquito bites but turned out to be bed bugs - bitten all over. Horrible.



Wine was disgusting - some of it tasted like grape juice with cheap Tequila in it. I am not a wine snob but ‘2 buck Chuck’ would have been a huge improvement. They should have wine available for purchase.



The entertainment was pathetic except for one show that was a sort of watered down version of Cirque De Soleil. It was quite good. All the other shows were like a Mexican Butlins! - pulling people out of the audience and making them look like fools.



Beach was terrible. I guess since Wilma a lot of sand has gone. There was sand on the beach but as soon as you got into the water it was all rocks - couldn't go swimming - even bought some beach shoes but the rocks were very sharp - do not take kids here.

Time share people everywhere - they didn't bother me after the first few days - they got the message, but why would a resort let these people in? - disgraceful - ruins your day when getting accosted all the time in the complex.



This was our first trip to Mexico at an all-inclusive and probably our last.

Overall a great resort.
...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Miss R.S Parry

Comments:

Overall a great resort.



When you get to Sandos Caracol the first thing you realise is how big the resort is!



The lobby is massive and has its own bar which sells a wide range of drinks, alcoholic and non alcoholic. The rooms are spacious with 2 king size beds, although the balcony was very small and did not have anywhere to sit.



There are 3 main pools although we did not find the third till our second week. One pool was right outside our room. This was the quiet pool with a swim up bar, the water was very clean and bar men very friendly and always plenty of loungers, but not always in the shade.



The pool on the beach was very busy and not very clean. There was a pool where the activities took place and there was always something going on.



The food was very good, the Laguna being the best which had different theme nights. The oriental was not so good.



The staff was mainly helpful but if you wanted something doing it took a long time for them to do it.



The shops sell a lot of great things but you can get them cheaper at a craft fair.



Would recommend getting a rep as there is no point staying in the hotel and not going on any trips - we went on a zip lining trip and to see chitzanitza, both were amazing.



The hotel is very clean and there are always people painting and cleaning. There is food at hand partly round the clock.



I think this holiday is suitable for everyone.



The entertainment was good some nights and bad others; there was acrobats and great spa and beach parties although another night it was terrible and the TV in my room was more entertaining!



Lovely to walk along the beach at night although beware of the mosquitoes, also there are a lot of iguanas and lizards and humongous crabs about the size of a melon! The lizards and the smaller crabs can get in your room so turn the covers back before you leap into your bed.



If you think you have been on a hot holiday before you haven’t!



As you can see I mainly thought the holiday was great and recommend you going, so book those tickets now!

Would thoroughly recommend. The...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2007

Tour Operator:

MyTravel

Submitted By:

Mrs J Rose

Comments:

Would thoroughly recommend. The hotel is lovely. There is a bar everywhere you go, including reception.



The food was really nice. The hotel has many restaurants would recommend them all. Breakfast was lovely with a massive range of food.



The hotel shops were really good. The main shop sold everything from clothing, cigars, booze, souvenirs, and medicine.



The beach looks lovely but the water does have lots of rocks in it. So you have to be a bit careful.



People lovely. Stay away from the elite reps from the hotel. Or before you know it you will be receiving a trip around the complex and the hard sell for the holiday club, kind of like a timeshare.



Nearest town is nice with lots of shops from local craft ware to American coffee shops.



Lovely weather got a great tan and would definitely return.

I went with my boyfriend and a...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

May 2007

Tour Operator:

First Choice

Submitted By:

Miss L Phillips

Comments:

I went with my boyfriend and a couple of friends to Mexico in May and apart from the company of our two friends (who we now no longer speak with) the holiday was fantastic. I was a bit bored with the 11 hr direct flight from Gatwick to Cancun and the time distance screwed me over a bit but I can definitely recommend going.



The food was amazing - now I’m not the most adventurous of people but there was something there for everyone. The "Laguna" restaurant was where we ate mostly and we really enjoyed their themed nights. The only thing that I wasn't happy about was the restaurants that you had to 'pre-book'. The Chinese restaurant, the food was nice but the service was diabolical. We had our reservation booked for 9pm and we didn't order till 9.45. By that point I was past hungry. The others were ok but nothing spectacular.



Now if we'd known when we booked the holiday that the Mexicans mainly earn their livings through tips, then we would've packed some money accordingly. We felt like right plonkers when the bell boy took our belongings to our room and then wanted a tip, all we had was £coins.



Make sure you also take plenty of bug spray as the mossies attack you like crazy.



The resort itself was beautiful. They really take pride in the look of everything and everyday ensuring that the resort is clean and tidy. We had no problems with the weather either, scorching sunshine from the moment we landed although on our last day our flight was delayed slightly because the heavens opened. The beaches were clean and well maintained and there were always activities of some kind happening. What got me though, was that all the resort staff just seemed so happy and I was slightly overwhelmed when I found the guy that taught the spinning class in the afternoon was dressed as a woman in the evening.



I didn’t see how the resort could've catered for small children really, a couple of the pools were far too deep for me, let alone kids but it was nice to see families there. And what made it even better was that we went in the middle of May so hardly any children at all.



It is my aim to go back again, I loved and can honestly recommend it.

The hotel staff were most...

Overall Rating:

7/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr S. M. Davies

Comments:

The hotel staff were most helpful and friendly and the quality and variety of food was very good.



Sadly, the rocky beach was a disappointment and because of this I would not recommend the place.



We suffered frequent disruptions to the water and power supplies and when the taps for the bath were turned on the water was a muddy brown.



The highly visible level of security left me feeling that theft from rooms was frequent ~ while we were at the hotel, extra locks were fitted to windows and patio door, and a chain was fitted to the front door.



On the plus side, the spa is excellent, boasting two saunas, excellent gym, and spa pool.



Overall, we enjoyed our holiday, but our enjoyment was somewhat marred by the grumbles mentioned above.