Location
Riviera Maya - BeachProperty Information
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Resort Details
Hotel Advisories
General Policies & Fine Print
Hotel requires a debit card authorization upon check-in for incidentals; this will place a hold on your funds.
Hotel Spring Break Policy - Spring breakers are not allowed. Minimum check-in age is 21.
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.
Customer Ratings & Reviews
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating
26125 reviews
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Dec 03, 2024Worth a visit
I had an underwhelming first impression. When we arrived and I saw the aesthetic of the resort lobby coupled with no greeting upon arrival with a drink, I looked at my husband with panic. We arrived in the morning so we asked for an early check in and was told it would be 100$ but room wouldn’t be ready for a few hours. I went back to the reception after an hour and half and another rep said $250! I got annoyed and started comparing their service to all the other hotels we’ve stayed at in other countries. My complaints worked I suppose bc we were allowed to check in 2 hrs ahead of check in time complimentary. After checking in, my family and I went to the pool area., water seemed dirty, kids were complaining they saw lots of hair balls but the entertainment was good so there was a vibe. We tried to walk on the beach but it is SUPER rocky! You need swim shoes! We managed to walk slowly out in the water and the sea felt good temperature wise but wish we could have stayed longer we just couldn’t because there are rocks all over and I was on edge someone would get hurt. As the days progressed the resort grew on all of us. Staff are friendly and warm, food is great except the italian restaurant and the wildlife! OMG never experienced anything like this. Such a sight! I remember reading some reviews and folks saying the hotel needs to update itself but I think the hotel is the way it is because of it’s location - in the middle of the jungle..the elements have to be factored in. We loved the cenotes, we loved the spa, one of my daughter (10) did her scuba diving lessons and went out to dive with her dad, my other daughter (8) went to the kids club once and she loved it. The nightly entertainment is top notch, in my opinion, my husband went diving with bull sharks.. a first for him and I did the pre- ispanic spa cleansing experience in the Temezcal .. highly recommend. The property was fun to explore although 2 of the water slides were out of commission. Overall, it was a good experience, we enjoyed it. Would we go Back, not 100% sure, but do we regret going? Not at all.
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Dec 02, 2024Hair and Makeup at Hotel Spa was Amazing with Margot and Fabiola!
We stayed at Sandos Caracol for my brother's wedding this past week. My daughter and I got our hair and makeup done by Margot and Fabiola. They were so friendly, sweet and talented. Please consider booking hair and makeup with them, even it it's just for a fun night out!!! We looked fabulous!!!
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Nov 30, 2024SanDon't
We spent a week at Sandos Caracol with a large group of family and friends. The grounds are beautiful and there is a lot of wildlife. Our rooms was very nice once we received the room we paid for. However all that was overshadowed by the lack of maintenance and constant issues everyone in our group. We had to call maintenance every day for something. Our A/C kept breaking down, the lock on the door to our room required the battery to replaced 3 times in a week so we could get in our room, a few in our group had no water some days, most of us did not have hot water most days. The main pool was filthy by the end of the day. The food was always cold even at the specialty restaurants. It seriously was barely edible. At the Italian buffet they brought out a fresh bowl of pasta and it was ice cold. The service staff is extremely nice and try as best they can but are extremely understaffed. The beach is NOT swimmable. You do need water shoes to even try to get in the ocean. Our best day was the day we spent at Xel-Ha. This resort could be a 4 but it needs some serious work to get there. We travel with this group every year to Mexico and in 10 years this was the first time we all sat there on the last night and were glad we were leaving the next day.
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Nov 30, 2024
Awesome Eco Resort Experience
So firstly I have to say that many of the negative reviews I read before coming had me a little worried about why I would find. Those reviews and worries quickly passed and after 3 days here, (here right now with another 6 days to go) I can say without question that I really don’t understand much of the negativity. This resort overall is in a stunning location, loads of things to do and see and overall an excellent experience so far. Our room was a very pleasant surprise ( we booked on the superior adult only side to put that out there) is huge, everything works, is super clean and when we arrived there were many amenities in the room even we didn’t expect, such as a welcome bottle of Bubbly, chocolate covered strawberries 🍓, house coats and slippers, dry comfy King sized bed with super fluffy pillows, fridge fully stocked and works well, air conditioning and ceiling fan the same thing.Just an excellent room overall. The restaurants have been fantastic so far, including the international buffet and all other restaurants we have tried. Loads of great food, well prepared and presented, and variety beyond belief. If one can’t find a great meal each and every time of the day you go to a restaurant , then I am clueless as to what it is you are looking for, as they have it ALL at each one. The staff are welcoming, friendly and easy to approach all over the whole resort. Now having said that, I must mention that the method of booking an “A La Carte” is not well organized, and that’ why there re so many complaints regarding trying to get into a restaurant here. Basically, we have to been on the same day as you want a reservation, so that usually means either getting lucky and showing up to wait for a place, or booking at 1230 AM to get a place for the same day. That aspect could be better done for sure, and I have to give that process a poor grade compared to other resorts I have been to. (Been to many including Mexico by the way). There is great entertainment t each evening in the main theater and lots of variety including something for everybody. We don’t have kids, but there is also plenty of activities for them as well including a huge waterpark with large slides, pools and activities there. The grounds themselves are beautiful and loaded with local wildlife that is quite something to see. Koati’s, Monkeys, Peacocks, beautiful birds, local cats, even the odd friendly dog ( Jack comes to mind) roam around freely and are all very friendly and fun to watch. This is a huge resort with walking paths well lit and interesting to just walk around and explore. There are many cenotes to explore and even swim in if you like - all on the resort. There are some Mayan ruins to go see as well along these walking paths. The paths are all accessible for those who may have mobility issues as well. Very clean and well maintained. You are truly surrounded by jungle and immersed in that as well. It is easy to get kind of lost when you first arrive, so after a couple of easy detours and exploration, one gets their bearings and then it is really enjoyable. Strong winds-fi throughout the resort, on the beach and anywhere you are in the resort so that is really a bonus. The Beach. The beach is beautiful, but I have to say to really enjoy it, having water shoes is practically a must. I have read comments where some say it is unswimmable, but that is simply incorrect. It is most certainly swimmable but due to many severe storms that have occurred over the last year or two, it has changed the beach area a bit and exposed some rocks (mostly corral) so this is something to note and prepare for to have an enjoyable experience, especially with kids in tow. For most seasoned travelers, this is a minor detail that doesn’t affect very much. The pools are all well maintained, clean and inviting if you like pools over the ocean. It manages your expectations, and bring water shoes if you really want to take advantage of a beautiful beach location. Off the resort, it is very close to Playa Del Carmen (10 min) so visiting this town is easy and fun for a little exploration. Also if one wants to visit Cozumel, it is about 20 mins to the ferry, not expensive to cross and stay for the day to explore there as well. Ferries (3) run every half hour on the hour first leaving at 0800 in the AM and last one leaves Cozumel at 9:00 at night. I would give this resort an overall score of 8 out of 10. Accommodations or room I would score a 10/10. Restaurants and food quality an 8/10 ( only because of the poor reservation system) Beach area I would score 7/10 ( because of the exposed rocks and coral) Grounds and surrounding paths, walkways, and nature a 9/10 Lastly, I can only say that we are very experienced travelers and have been to many resorts in Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic and other places as well. We travel about 3-4 times per year. This is one of the nicest resorts we have had the pleasure of going to and I would definitely recommend this for many travelers. Nothing is perfect, neither are any resorts from my company, and there can be experiences people have at any resort that can be negative of course, but I would say that this resort is certainly value for money and a great experience. It’s all about expectations and managing them. Go and get lost a bit, and enjoy your time..🙂
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Nov 30, 2024
Spa - make up and hair
I went to the spa to get my hair and make up done for a wedding and Fabiola did an amazing job. Better than I would have imagined. I would highly recommend going there. They are so friendly and know what they are doing and matched my reference pictures.