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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.
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worst place i have ever had the displeasure of staying, staff was great always happy and helpful with the exception of the front desk, rooms smelled of sewage, couldn't take a decent shower as you only get luke warm water, pools were hardly ever cleaned full of sand and water was dirty, food selection was very limited if you didn't want pasta then you were basically stuck with the few deserts and a bit of salad and bread. absolutely the worst experience of any resort I've been at i would discourage anyone from going here there are far better choices for your money i will never return.
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Date of stay: February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1 Helpful vote
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Response from Lizeth Arratia, Director General at The Reef Playacar
Responded 4 weeks ago
Dear guest, We sincerely apologize for the disappointing experience you encountered during your recent stay with us. It deeply concerns us to learn about the issues you faced, and we appreciate you bringing them to our attention. We are glad to hear that our staff provided you with excellent service, although we regret that your interactions with our front desk team did not meet your expectations. Please rest assured that we will address this internally to ensure consistent and exceptional service across all departments. We apologize for any unpleasant odors in your room and the inconvenience of lukewarm water. Maintaining the comfort and satisfaction of our guests is of utmost importance to us, and we will investigate and address these concerns promptly. We understand your disappointment and regret that we fell short of providing you with the exceptional experience you deserved. Res assured that necessary changes will me made to enhance the overall guest experience. We hope you will consider giving us another opportunity to exceed your expectations in the future. Warmest regards, Lizeth Arratia Hospitality Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
As a vegetarian couple who are currently still staying here, I can honestly say that the vegetarian options are terrible. We are worldwide travelers and regrettably this hotel is the worst we have experienced for vegetarian choice. This is our sixth night of trying and failing to find a vegetarian main meal amongst all of the meat options, and when we think we have found something we find it also contains meat. We are not fussy eaters but don’t think that it is difficult for at least one meal to cater for vegetarians. I have now had a bowl of soup and that’s all I can have. There is a pasta option each night but who wants to eat pasta each and every night? Also at breakfast we have been opting for the omelet which is freshly cooked but today we found ham in them as the same…
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Date of stay: February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
2 Helpful votes
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Response from Lizeth Arratia, Director General at The Reef Playacar
Responded 10 Feb 2024
Dear guest, Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback about your current stay at The Reef Playacar. We sincerely apologize for the disappointment you have encountered with the vegetarian options during your stay, we regret that we fell short of meeting your expectations in this regard. We appreciate your recognition of our restaurant staff and assure you that your feedback has been shared with our management team for further evaluation and improvement. We are committed to providing an exceptional experience for all our guests, and your feedback helps us to identify areas where we can enhance our services. Once again, we apologize for the inconvenience you experienced and thank you for bringing these matters to our attention. Should you need any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact our Front Desk or Guest Service Managers. Kind regards, Lizeth Arratia Hospitality Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The overall architecture and the lush tropical landscaping are above average. The buildings are well designed but are in need of façade renovation. The buffet food was average but mostly cold due to the excessive indoor cooling. The views from our room were awful. We could only see the terribly looking piping and some leftover landscaping materials from our balcony. The outdoor stairs in front of rooms are clad with polished stone and they get super slippery once it rains. During my stay, on January 21st I fell on my back while going down from my room. I experienced back pain for several days. I immediately reported the incident to the manager, Mr. Fernando, but haven't received a response. A few days later my daughter fell on the same stairs, thank God she wasn't harmed.…
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Date of stay: January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Lizeth Arratia, Director General at The Reef Playacar
Responded 1 Feb 2024
Dear guest, Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback regarding your recent stay at our hotel. We appreciate your thorough observations, and we sincerely apologize for any inconveniences you experienced during your visit. We deeply regret the incidents involving falls on the outdoor stairs and the subsequent back pain you experienced. We apologize for any lapses in our response; your review has already been shared with the Management team to investigate the matter further and follow-up directly with you. Regarding the absence of a dedicated outdoor space for smokers, we would like to clarify that our federal government's ban on smoking in open spaces has influenced our policy. Unfortunately, due to the layout of our facilities, it was not feasible to designate a smoking area that complies with the new regulations. We are committed to continuous improvement and are grateful for your feedback. We hope you will consider giving us another opportunity to provide you with a more positive experience in the future. Kind regards, Lizeth Arratia Hospitality Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We came to the reef Playacar for our honeymoon, it has been an amazing experience. Mariana from marketing was quite welcoming, help us explaining all our doubts and concerns, quite professional, polite, respectful and friendly. We will definitely come back.
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Date of stay: January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Lizeth Arratia, Director General at The Reef Playacar
Responded 1 Feb 2024
Estimada huésped, Congratulations on your honeymoon and thank you for choosing The Reef Playacar to celebrate such a special occasion. We are delighted to hear that your experience with us has been amazing. It is wonderful to know that Mariana played a key role in making your stay memorable. We will be sure to pass on your compliments to her for her warm and professional assistance. We look forward to welcoming you again. Kind regards, Lizeth Arratia Hospitality Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Beautiful spa excellent service. Highly recommend. Thank you Rocio so much for being so sweet. Gracias ☺️ very serene. Calming atmosphere. It’s perfect. Love the steam room and treatment. Very beautiful. 😍 love 💕 felt very taken care of. Spectacular spa 🧖
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Date of stay: January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Lizeth Arratia, Director General at The Reef Playacar
Responded 1 Feb 2024
Dear guest, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your wonderful experience with us. We are glad to read that you found our spa to be very relaxing, with a beautiful setting and excellent service. Rocio will be delighted to receive your special mention, and we will make sure to pass on your appreciation to her. We look forward to the pleasure of welcoming you back to our spa in the future. Thank you once again for choosing us and for sharing your positive feedback. Warm regards, Lizeth Arratia Hospitality Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I am currently at hotel, check in was fast and easy as in the past, the rooms are spacious and love the walk in rain shower. From the lobby to the room it's like walking in a jungle, it's beautiful. The pool and beach area is great and plenty of chairs. Remember this is a smaller resort so not as many options. There problem is there chulavista buffet, it's been remodeled and is beautiful but they forgot to do something about the food! As my review from a year ago and other people's review this has not changed! Breakfast is probably the best, but foods are cold.... on 2nd day my wife got stomach bug from lunch. Dinner isn't much better. They need to constantly check food temp. Waiting to see if they have improved speality restaurants from last year.
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Date of stay: January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Lizeth Arratia, Director General at The Reef Playacar
Responded 26 Jan 2024
Dear guest, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback about your current stay at The Reef Playacar. We appreciate your positive comments regarding the efficient check-in process, spacious rooms, and the beautiful ambiance of our facilities. However, we sincerely apologize for the challenges you encountered at our Chulavista buffet. We understand the importance of not only a visually appealing setting but also the quality of the dining experience. Your concerns about the temperature of the food are noted, and we assure you that our team is actively working to address this issue to enhance the overall dining experience. Furthermore, we are very sorry to read that your wife was sick; we would like to mention that there has not been any report of food related illness. We have strict procedures to clean and handle our food. In addition, all our food, drinks and water are regularly analyzed by an external company to increase these controls. Please note that there are many reasons why an ailment can occur during a holiday, nevertheless, we kindly ask you to reach out to our Guest Service Manager for any assistance you might need. Warm regards, Lizeth Arratia Hospitality Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Had a great week at The Reef Playacar and hope to go back again. The resort is beautiful and it felt like I was in a tropical jungle walking around. Luis with activities was great - he had so much energy and made the time spent around the pool a lot of fun. We also loved Felipe at the swim up bar. He made great drinks for both the adults and kids in our group. The food was all good. The omelets at the buffet in the morning were a favorite, the snack bar and ice cream filled us up mid-afternoon, and the Italian and Mexican restaurants in the evening rounded out the day. The only thing that could've been better would've been hot water in the showers. Often it was only lukewarm at best.
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Date of stay: January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Lizeth Arratia, Director General at The Reef Playacar
Responded 1 Feb 2024
Dear guest , Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback following your recent stay at The Reef Playacar. We are delighted to learn that you had a great week with us and that you enjoyed the beautiful surroundings of our resort. We appreciate your kind words about our staff, particularly Luis and Felipe. They will be pleased to know that they contributed to your positive experience. We truly appreciate your positive review and hope to welcome you back for another fantastic stay in the future. Best regards, Lizeth Arratia Hospitality Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The positive things about this resort are: The jungle gardens are beautiful The beach is great with plenty of chairs access to the bathrooms, food and drinks The taxi service was always quick to show up The rooms were a good size and clean Water fountains throughout the facility offered good water to refill our bottles and the room supplied carafe The negatives were: The food is marginal at best. We only got breakfast included (by our choice) and near the end of your stay started adding our pastries we bought in Playa del Carmen and a French Patisserie The rooms near the main lobby smell like sewers. They were nice enough to move after one night. We couldn't go out on the balcony due to the smell We didn't like the falcon (and his handler) hunting and trying to kill the other…
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Date of stay: January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Lizeth Arratia, Director General at The Reef Playacar
Responded 27 Jan 2024
Dear guest, Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback on your recent stay at our resort. We appreciate your positive comments about the beautiful jungle gardens, the great beach amenities, quick taxi service, spacious and clean rooms, and the convenience of water fountains. We sincerely apologize for the challenges you faced during your stay, including the food quality, room odor near the main lobby, and the absence of beach service. We appreciate your constructive criticism as it helps us enhance our services and offerings. Our commitment is to provide a memorable and enjoyable experience for all our guests. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back in the future for a delightful stay. Kind regards, Lizeth Arratia Hospitality Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The hotel is very nice I feel like you sleeping an a tree house. Service very nice. All the people there are super nice! From check in to in between . But… these hotel as beautiful as it is it Lacks of entertainment nothing to do here . They have potential but I was bored. You do have the option of going to the sister hotels but I didn’t want to. Food was ok no complaints there except for not having bacon ha-ha-ha. A bit pushy with the time share but nothing bad. One complaint is with the check in at the spa I was there in person and the girl was making my appointment but then gets a phone call and give my appointment time to the person on the phone. Very rude and unprofessional you are supposed help the person in front of you first. Other than that I love the place. Do bring…
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Date of stay: January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Lizeth Arratia, Director General at The Reef Playacar
Responded 13 Jan 2024
Dear guest, Thank you for choosing The Reef Playacar to celebrate your 21st birthday and for sharing your feedback. We are delighted to read that you found our hotel to be a unique and enjoyable experience, akin to sleeping in a treehouse. We appreciate your positive comments about the service and the kindness of our staff. We understand your perspective regarding the entertainment options, and we appreciate your honest feedback. We regret to learn about the issue during the spa check-in, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused. We will address this matter to ensure that such incidents are not repeated, and we appreciate your understanding. We are glad that, despite these situations, you still enjoyed your time with us. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back for more positive experiences in the future. Best regards, Lizeth Arratia Hospitality Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The staff is great! From the check-in (Jesus, Victor, Fernando) to meal service (Mary, Paulino, Minerva, Norma, Jorge,... to name just a few), the bartenders (like Felix and Antonio), we had a great time! We love the Reef because they make us feel like family. Fernando was great in helping us get a table at the specialty restaurant. The people that work at the Reef are what made our trip such a success! The room we had was recently updated and everything was really nice. Housekeeping did a great job everyday! We have been to the large resorts in Playa, where you need golf cart to get to the beach from your room. At the Reef, the furthest room is only a 90 second walk to the pool/beach area. We love the small resort feel, and the lush jungle gardens really make it…
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Date of stay: November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Lizeth Arratia, Director General at The Reef Playacar
Responded 13 Jan 2024
Dear guest, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your detailed and heartfelt review of your recent stay with us. It is wonderful to hear that our staff, from check-in to meal service, bartenders, and housekeeping, all contributed to making your stay memorable. We will be sure to pass on your commendations to Jesus, Victor, Fernando, Mary, Paulino, Minerva, Norma, Jorge, Felix, Antonio, and Tyler. Knowing that they made you feel like family is the highest compliment we could receive. We look forward to welcoming you back again! Kind regards, Lizeth Arratia Hospitality Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
£137 - £286 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
reef playacar hotel playa del carmen, the reef playacar, reef club playacar, reef playacar mexico, reef playacar playa del carmen
LOCATION
MexicoYucatan PeninsulaQuintana RooRiviera MayaPlaya del Carmen
NUMBER OF ROOMS
198
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect nightly room rates, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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