Resort Details
- Various BarsDELI SNACK BAR: Located in the pool area, close to the beach, Deli Snack Bar offers light meals and snacks such as pizzas, burgers, French fries, chicken wings (from late morning to sunset) and a Mexican taco-style menu (for late night snacking).
AZUL 48: Our swim-up pool bar serves ice-cold beer, tropical drinks and non-alcoholic beverages.
PAPO'S BAR: A relaxed atmosphere and friendly bartenders make this a favorite evening entertainment area.
LA CHIQUITA: Bordering the beach, this sunny and relaxing retreat opens early and serves cocktails until sundown.
NICO'S LOUNGE BAR: Luxurious Nico's pairs a beachfront location with music and premium-branded cocktails. This bar is only included with the Premium package. A surcharge applies for Standard package guests.
LA CASCADA: Decorated in Mediterranean style, this is a relaxing spot in the lobby to enjoy a cocktail at almost any time of the day. - Various RestaurantsBOTTICELLI: Enjoy freshly prepared Italian dishes in an elegant atmosphere with air conditioning. This restaurant is included with all of our packages.
TERRAZA GRILL: Dine indoors in air-conditioned comfort or on the elegant outdoor terrace. This restaurant is included in the Standard and Premium packages.
ICE CREAM PARLOR: A favorite later afternoon spot for coffee and ice cream, the outdoor eatery overlooks lush tropical gardens and a natural cenote.
CENOTE: Enjoy tea time with a tropical twist in this charming outdoor café serving tea, flambéed coffees, fresh-baked cookies and finger sandwiches.
CHULAVISTA: The main restaurant with three buffet areas offers international delights with a spectacular view of the Caribbean Sea.
- SuperiorBedding- 1 King or 2 Double beds.
Bedding Requests are not guaranteed. They are based on availability upon check-in.
Occupancy- 4 adults, 2 children, 4 total.
Please list in profile that king bed is optional, and will be an additional $7 per day, payable at the hotel.- Air conditioning
- Bathroom amenities
- TV
- Wireless internet connection
- Premium DeluxeBedding- 1 King or 2 Double beds.
Bedding Requests are not guaranteed. They are based on availability upon check-in.
Occupancy- 4 adults, 2 children, 4 total.
Please list in profile that king bed is optional, and will be an additional $7 per day, payable at the hotel.- Air conditioning
- Bathroom amenities
- TV
- Wireless internet connection
- Aerobics instruction*
- Internet services*
- Spa*
- Please contact the hotel for additional information.
* Fees may apply
- Fitness center on-site *
- Golf *
- Gym *YOGA CLASS & GYM
Our hotel offers beachfront yoga classes and a fully equipped gym, available to all our guests, so you can maintain your well-being and exercise routine during your stay. - Spa *OME SPA($)
Discover the wonderful therapies and the temazcal of OME SPA inspired by Aztec culture, and continue your training in our traditional gym or in our outdoor jungle version. - Theatre *Nightly shows and live entertainment at The Theater.
- Water activities *Home to our five-star PADI Dive Center, The Reef Marina is your one-stop shop for all things aquatic. Stop in to arrange a diving or snorkeling excursion to a nearby reef, rent a Wave runner or take out a kayak. Our well-equipped marina also has changing rooms, showers, restrooms and more.-Five-star PADI Dive Center-Wave runners-Kayaking-Parasailing (solo or with a friend)-Scuba demos in the swimming pool
- Skydiving *
* Fees may apply
From the moment you arrive at The Reef Playacar, you’ll see why we’re one of the best family-friendly resorts in Playa del Carmen. The relaxed comfort of our boutique-style hotel takes inspiration from the Mayan traditions, magically blending the quiet seclusion of a tropical rainforest with the white-hot beauty of one of the world’s most spectacular beaches.
Nestled among brilliant gardens in an exclusive gated community, just a 15-minute walk from the vibrant shops, dining, and nightlife of 5th Avenue, The Reef Playacar resort ensures that nothing comes between you and an unforgettable Riviera Maya beach getaway. Our resort is uniquely suited to provide you with a range of unforgettable experiences, from the exhilarating to the serene.
You will have the chance to book your room with two different options: All-Inclusive package or bed + breakfast.
Fill your days with diving, skydiving and eco-adventures or explore and relax in Playa del Carmen’s tranquil ancient setting.
Property Information
Customer Ratings & Reviews
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating
8656 reviews
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Oct 06, 20262 Stars on a Good Day
So bad it’s hard to begin. Let’s break this into categories: Food: inedible, inadequate. Cold, batch cooked and reheated. Although cooked is being used loosely here as some of the food seems questionable if it’s actually safe to eat. As a party of 6 with a mix of picky and non picky eaters we’ve all had to go out everyday just to eat. This is unacceptable for an “all inclusive” resort. They allow birds and cats into the restaurant and let them walk all over the seats and tables. Rooms: old, dated and dirty. Issues with broken and leaking aircon. Black gunk and debris coming from taps. Sulphur smells from showers and balconies. No mosquito nets. No light blocking curtains. Dirty bedding and towels. Entertainment: umm… baring the afternoon music quiz in the pool. We’ve seen none. Pools: tiny and dated. Tiles missing. Black grouting. Staff: they’re polite but have no sense of urgency or seem to care that much. Check in took ages as they’re was only one person on the desk. They messed up the room numbers and names. But we’re quick to make us pay the environmental taxes. I waited over 20 minutes for a drink before I eventually went to the bar to get it myself. Overall this hotel is far below anything that resembles a 4 star hotel. It’s maybe a 2 star on a good day. And that’s only due to grounds. I would not recommend this hotel to anyone.
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Oct 05, 2026
Do not come
Absolutely awful. First night coming in the front desk had one person working and spend an hour and forty-five minutes to check two people infront of us in. The rooms are not up to standard, lots of issues and doesn't really look well kept. The food isn't "all inclusive" if you're a picky eater or someone who doesn't do spicy food. don't eat here. We ended up going out every night for food instead. the food is also freezing and doesn't look fully cooked through, more like re-heated food. The place is also child friendly but yet i haven't seen one activity for children. The pools are very tiny and boring, There is no lively atmosphere here at all. If you wanted food from the snack bar you would also have to pay. doesn't seem very "all inclusive". The wildlife in the resort is beautiful and very well kept. However i'm disappointed. I won't return.
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Oct 04, 2026Nice but food is not great
This is a nice, small resort. I was very impressed by the cleanliness of the hotel, especially the room. 5 stars to the cleaning crew! The main issue with the hotel is the food. The options are very limited, and they do not serve fruit during lunch or dinner. When travelling with small children, having fruit available is important, so I had to take fruit from breakfast and save it in the room to make sure my little girl had some for lunch and dinner. The buffet did not have a lot of variety, and the options would run out quickly. Unfortunately, it also took a long time for the food to be refilled. Coffee was only available at the buffet, so there were several hours during the day when coffee was not available because the buffet was closed. The Mexican restaurant was fine, but I was very disappointed with the Italian restaurant. The food was quite tasteless and lacked flavour. The ice cream was really good, but again, the selection was very limited. There were only two flavours available at a time, and when we went around 5 PM, sometimes there was only one flavour left. The ice cream station is only open from 4–6 PM. The snack restaurant by the pool was good, and I really liked the food there. However, I was very disappointed that tacos are only offered after 10 PM and not during the day. You travel to Mexico and expect to be able to enjoy tacos! Overall, we had a nice stay, and the cleanliness of the resort was definitely a highlight. I hope the management takes guests’ feedback seriously and makes improvements to the buffet, especially by offering more variety, more fruit, and faster refills.
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Oct 03, 2026Eduardo is the best!!!!!
Eduardo is the best!!! He made our trip amazing. He is very nice, entertaining for the whole family!
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Oct 03, 2026
Unforgettable
Eduardo made this trip an unforgettable experience! So friendly, a lot of fun and quick to assist. Amazing resort!
- AdvisoryThere will be a $4 per day, per room Environmental tax fee. This can be paid by guest upon arrival. This amount is not included in your vacation price and will be collected at your hotel. These funds are being used to protect, maintain and conserve the natural beauty of the destination in the area and its surroundings.
- General Policies:
Check-in Policy - Hotel requires a credit/debit card authorization or cash deposit upon check-in for incidentals; this will place a hold on your funds.
Convention Policy - Individuals attending a convention cannot book this property for their stay. If found attending a convention, guests may be subject to higher room rates upon arrival.
Hotel Spring Break Policy - The hotel will not accept any student groups. Student groups are considered young kids between 16-22 years old.
Transfer Policy - A price may display when children stay free, if your vacation includes transfer to your hotel.
General Information - Room taxes and service fees are included in vacation price. Minimum night stay restrictions may apply. Reservation changes may not be permitted unless authorized by the hotel.
Optional $7 surcharge for requesting King Bed and payable at hotel.