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.
Location
Playa del CarmenProperty Information
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Resort Details
Hotel Advisories
General Policies & Fine Print
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.
Customer Ratings & Reviews
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating
8005 reviews
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Dec 15, 2024Average Hotel. Great location. Wouldn’t return.
When arriving to this hotel it looked beautiful from the outside. We arrived late afternoon. The check in was very long and the guest services were straight on you to get you to buy extra packages etc. The check in took about 40 minutes in total and after a long flight it wasn’t what we needed. The rooms was a decent size a strange drainage smell however I feel that’s quite common in Mexico. The balcony looked out to a jungle type area. Lots of trees and bushes. Good to sit and listen to the birds etc. Not so good if you want to sit in the sun on the balcony as at no point is sun able to reach them. We stay for 2 weeks . The activities available on site were good and the entertainment was good though very quiet every night. This might be to it being in December. The weather was on and off . We had no problems getting sun beds and the system for towels is very good. We were unable to do any of the water activities due to bad winds and weather. For the 2 week period we didn’t have one day they were in use. Bare this in mind if your travelling in December and excited to do them. We can recommend Xplor and The turtle experience. We wouldn’t recommend the fishing trips as expensive and for a 6 hour trip and one fish it was really disheartening. Plus you have to pay lots of extras. Xcaret we really enjoyed too . The pools were not very clean I will attach photos and I feel the pictures make them look a lot bigger than in person. The food in the buffet was average . Very similar deserts every night/day but a good variety of other food. If you want to book the restaurants the Mexican and Italian make sure you ring up 7am in the morning. We only managed to book for one day out of the 14 . This was because we could never get through to the reception then by the time we did the only times were 9.30pm and 10 pm which for us is too late to eat. We managed the Italian restaurant one night at 9.30pm for our last night as wanted to finally try it. Total let down the food was average . The service very good but the menu sounded fancy and the food arrived was not. I had to send 2 dishes back which I have never done ever. My pork was cold in the middle and then the ravioli tasted of nothing. Nice wines though. The drinks were good and the waiters always friendly . We found every day the guest services were praying us it was quite annoying by day 7 . We ended up telling them to please leave us alone. We already spent $800 on extras . I booked the Affair of the heart package and that again was a let down. The meal wasn’t very good and you were sat in the dark on the beach. We couldn’t see what we were eating and the couple next to us even had to put their torches on their phones to see too. They stated the same as us that the food was basic and the fact you’re in darkness is annoying all it would need is a table light or candles . I asked for candles and got told they didn’t have any available. Overall the experience wasn’t amazing. I wouldn’t suggest going here if you’re wanting a top class holiday . The location is the best part about it . It’s within walking distance of 5th avenue and close to all the theme parks. I personally would stay next door at the RUI instead .
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Dec 11, 2024Temascal at the Reef at Playa Car….GET THERE!!
This ritual session…the Temascal….is one of the most amazing experiences we’ve had. From incredible smells of natural herbs and oils to the deep heat from the fire charged stones and steam….then half way thru getting a gulp of cool air followed by covering your body from heat to toe in honey and sugar…then sweating it all off…. It truly is an experience for the senses! Adela is a lovely soul and someone we looked forward to seeing again for nearly a year! Signed a VERY RELAXED Darin ☺️
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Dec 11, 2024
Spa and Ritual
We had an absolutely wonderful experience at the Ome Spa today! We love Adela and all the great staff we encountered throughout the week. This was our second time at the reef and we are so happy to have returned. We will definitely be back again very soon !
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Dec 11, 2024
An amazing ritual sweat lodge with beautiful chanting, song, exfoliating and blessings.
Temazcal with Adella is the most wonderful experience, an absolute MUST when visiting The Reef Playacar! We come for this experience every time we visit and it’s incredible every time. If you come make sure to sign up on a rainy or cooler day for an extra great experience.
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Dec 07, 2024
Favorite place
All of the staff here are incredibly hard working and friendly. We love coming back year after year. Mary at Chula Vista, Victoria making omelettes; Paulino! Felix at Nico’s makes the BEST drinks. Really everyone here is very nice and accommodating.