Playacar Palace

Elaine

We stayed here over Christmas break, and what makes this place wonderful is the staff. We travel often and have stayed at many all-inclusive resorts, but the service here is incomparable. Eduardo at the front desk was very welcoming, while Jesus enthusiastically helped us with learning about the resorts and the area. We did a bike tour with Erik ( Alejandro), and he exceeded all expectations, teaching us about the area and his culture with such passion. The breakfast buffet was fresh and plentiful, and Roberto would fill our coffee mugs as soon as we sat down, with a big, welcoming smile. The service at all restaurants was incredible, making up for the average food. I can't forget to mention the hotel lobby drinks, just delicious! I can't forget to thank Dulce for the most relaxing pedicure. Will definitely be back!

Derek Lorbiecki

Wonderful resort, location, staff, food, and rooms, would recommend to anyone without hesitation. My wife and I had a great time relaxing by the pool or by the ocean on the plentiful recliners, while the kids really enjoyed the activities and being able to sneak up to the coffee shop for sweets whenever they wanted! Beautiful, clean grounds, and the staff were incredibly welcoming and fun! I liked that it was smaller than other resorts I have stayed at and felt far more relaxed than others. Special shout out to the staff at the pool bar and grill who were hustling all day and to Sebastian, the resort photographer who gave us the best (and most fun) family photos we have had in 25 years together. We have already booked our stay for next year!

Amisha Gupta

We have been to different Moon Palace resorts and Playacar Palace is among few of our top favorites so far. Its a boutique style resort in Playa del carmen and has so many positives about it. The service here is unmatched. The staff is so good and does everything possible to make your stay memorable. Whether its the staff at the restaurants, or the staff at the pool side, bar, kids day care or at the spa everyone gave their 💯% and made sure we are having a good time and getting good service. The location of this resort is unmatched. As soon as we step out of the resort, we are at 5th Avenue which is filled with amazing shops , restaurants, a nice mall and ferry to Cozumel island is steps away as well. It felt like we are right in the center of all fun. Its so safe to step outside as its all touristy area and police presence is there in that area. Car rentals like Hertz were also steps away. So we were able to rent car and do certain excursions like cenotes ourselves. If you are planning to do cenote during the stay our favorite is Cenote Azul. We also did a day trip to Cozumel and visited Cozumel Palace through ferry which was also quite easy and fun. The restaurants at the resort were nice and the nightly entertainment was also good. Rooms were good size with jacuzzi and we had the perfect ocean view from room. The pool here was not as big as other moon palace resorts as well as not too deep to swim properly so that could be considered as a small negative. But we were still able to enjoy it fully. Again the swim up bar was great and the staff kept planning some activities at the pool as well. Hot tub was nice and everyone enjoyed it. Beach was really nice and to our surprise had no Sargassam when we visited. So we were pleasantly surprised with the nice Beach. Overall if you like boutique size resorts with amazing food and service, this could definitely be a place for you. Its perfect for couples as well as families that enjoy stepping out of the resort without worrying about safety as overall that whole Playa del carmen 5th Avenue area feels very safe and perfect for tourists. We will definitely be returning back again!!

Bryan Zimmerman

While this resort is marketed as a five-star property, our experience did not align with the images or expectations presented. The resort is somewhat misleading in its portrayal—if you intend to use the beach, note that lounge chairs and umbrellas are not permitted due to facility policy. The pool area was extremely crowded throughout the day, with constant activity and children running around, making it very loud; if you are seeking a quiet or relaxing environment, this is not the place. We stayed for eight days over New Year’s, and on three or four nights there were children running through the hotel hallways past our room well after midnight for over an hour on each occasion, with security failing to enforce the stated 10 PM noise curfew, particularly around the pool area where teens were loud. My significant other repeatedly struggled to sleep until the early morning hours due to the noise and lack of enforcement. Additionally, unless you are an owner or a high-level guest, desirable pool seating is essentially unavailable as those areas are consistently reserved. The best aspect of this resort is its location, with convenient access to the ferry to Cozumel and Fifth Avenue, where most of the shops and restaurants are located. The restaurants were decent, though the buffet was equally good, even from the perspective of someone with an experienced palate. Unfortunately, the concierge—referred to as the personal relations department—provided hands-down the worst service I have ever experienced at any resort; multiple recommendations were mishandled, including a complete failure surrounding the New Year’s Eve dinner. Service overall was underwhelming compared to other resorts we have stayed at, and this property does not compare to the Pueblo Bonito resorts on the west side of Mexico. For these reasons, I would not recommend this resort to friends or family seeking a truly five-star experience.

Ajay Singh

Stayed for 6 nights and 7 days , the resort is really nice and small compared to Riu or Ibrostar but the smaller resort was not an issue for us as it made it easier to move around with kids. The beach is basically non existent (feel free to look at the pics ) Location is great with downtown PDC in walking distance. Massage prices are right down stupid I. $700 USD for couples massage. You can walk out the resort and get a couples massage for under $100 USD. You also cannot use the sauna or steam room without purchasing spa services. The resort credits are a joke and honestly because of this I did not purchase there time share which is not a time share. I honestly would have but because of the nuances with the resort credit lead me to believe the elite membership would have similar stipulations in the contract. The food at the restaurant is great but the buffet is mediocre. All of the restaurants have an upcharge of something could be wine or lobster or ribeye steak. I paid extra for the lobster and it was cooked really well... The staff was great. My kids loved the play area and we even hired an external nanny service for $18 USD / hour . The entertainment was better than most other all inclusive resorts.