The Reef Playacar All-Inclusive
- 4 out of 5
- Avg. Member Rating
- 36
- Reviews
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1
- Photo
Think twice!
- July 1, 2009
- Rated 2 of 5 by
a traveler from Travelocity.com
Just unbelievable. Restaurants were closed during the 5 night stay and staff was not working in bars, etc. Very disappointing. Needs updating, if you are looking for bargain basement---you've found it with this spot. Please spend extra and get a little more, this all-inclusive is lacking.
Beach is nice, though. Good spot if you are not in the line of the jet ski men.
Disappointing!
LOVED IT!
- May 27, 2009
- Rated 5 of 5 by
a traveler from Travelocity.com
My boyfriend and I stayed 8 days at the Reef and we both loved it! We did not spend much time in the room, but it was very clean and comfortable. The landscaping among the buildings was beautiful! There were dozens of different plants and trees along the walk ways which really added to the ambiance of the resort.
All of the employees were friendly and helpful. This was at the height of the swine flu scare and it appeared that they took every precaution to prevent illness.
I saw a lot of complaints about food, but I had no issues. Breakfast was excellent! We ate lunch at the snack bar most days which was very tasty and had many choices. Dinner at the buffet was also good. The fish was amazing! Every meal had fresh fruit and veggie choices so I was able to have a balanced meal every time. We also ate dinner at the Mexican and Italian restaurants which were both exceptional. The pools were always clean and the beach was gorgeous. The sandbags actually served as a mini coral reef, attracting several different species of fish. We rented snorkel gear (free) and spent a lot of time snorkeling around them.
I highly recommend the AllTourNative Mayan encounter tour to Coba. The company donates a significant portion of money to the Mayan people. We rappelled, zip-lined, canoed, hiked, ate a traditional Mayan mean and climbed the highest pyramid in the Yucatan. Plus, it was amazing to see the native people.
Also, go to Cozumel, rent a scooter and drive around the island. We ate fresh caught seafood at Chen Rio and it was the BEST seafood I have ever had! Dirt-cheap and OUTSTANDING quality. The scenery in Cozumel is also beautiful, very different from Playa.
The Reef Playacar
- April 12, 2009
- Rated 4 of 5 by
a traveler from Travelocity.com
I havent been to the Riviera Maya in 8 years and was surprised to see how much the beach has changed. What I remembered was mile long beautiful white sand beaches and crystal blue water. However, due to the severe storms 2 years ago they now have these huge sand bags that resemble large boulders all along the beach. When I first arrived I was sooooo bummed out. What can you do mother nature has a different plan. I soon got used to them and realized that walking the entire beach just wasnt going to happen on this visit. The teenagers LOVED the sand bags and had fun jumping the waves on them. The water was still beautiful and the sand clean and white.
I was happy that I chose this resort. After walking along the beach as far as I could go, I felt that The Reef had the most beach and the least sand bags. Its a nice small resort. The staff was very friendly and the rooms are nothing spectacular but was fine for a beach vacation. I had a few bugs in my room the first day but I think they spray regularily because I never saw them again. The FOOD was my only complaint. I am NOT a picky eater and pretty much like everything BUT they served the same food all 3 meals! If the chicken,beef, or fish wasnt used up for one meal then it was reborn the next meal as something else. Very creative but enough already. The menu was very heavy with the proteins but not enough vegetables. The whole week all I saw was broccoli, carrots, cauliflower. I just wanted a big salad and that was nonexistent.
Pleasant Little Resort
- March 28, 2009
- Rated 4 of 5 by
a traveler from Travelocity.com
We were checked in quickly and my request for a specific room location was granted with no problem. The resort has a great jungle-like atmosphere with natural waterfall and cenotes. The pools are a little small as the resort property itself is not very big. The buffet was limited but the food was tasty and adequate. It can be a challenge to get water and coffee in this resort. There is a snack bar during the day with pizza, burgers, nachos, fries, etc. The Italian specialty restaurant was excellent, with excellent service. We enjoyed the pool bar; the drinks were very good and the staff are prompt. The rooms are somewhat tired but it is my understanding they are in the process of upgrading them, and while we were there we saw a lot of new beds being put in. The entertainment staff was lame. Our main reasons for choosing this resort is that we like a smaller resort and this one is walking distance to town. This is a solid 3.5 star resort and we were pleased with it.
belated honeymoon
- March 16, 2009
- Rated 3 of 5 by
a traveler from Travelocity.com
we enjoyed it but we thought that the food in the buffet was not very good. We enjoyed the surrounding very much. we pretty much liked everything but the food.