Royal Hideaway Playacar

Overall, the stay was lovely. My boyfriend and I stayed here for a birthday/late anniversary getaway. Pros: The location was beautiful. The room was gorgeous - and I thoroughly enjoyed the unintrusive wildlife right outside our balcony. Everything was clean for the most part. Although our stay was during off peak and in the midst of heavy seaweed (the water was brown), we were able to swim and participate in many activities which were enjoyable. Sarah, our dedicated staff person, was pleasant and accommodating as well. The food was absolutely wonderful every morning and night. I highly recommend anything with mole, the NY Angus and ribeye steaks, and the beetroot salad. Cons: The beachside glasses are sometimes still dirty from the previous drink/users so be wary of such. Some of the staff are rude and some of the men come off as misogynistic. Please also note that we are a Black couple although I hope that wasn’t a major or minor factor. During one of our dinners at the Mediterranean restaurant, our waiter treated me poorly - he poured more wine in my boyfriend’s glass than for me on each pour and never asked me any direct questions (did I want any more, etc). He left my plates on the table although I was finished but took my boyfriend’s. He also pretended as if he couldn’t hear any request I made - but was certain to attend to my boyfriend’s needs. Misogyny is present in every culture, but it’s shameful to see it in such a high end resort as this. A different staff member at one of the bars proceeded to pour Jim Beam into a drink where I explicitly requested Maker’s Mark - the difference is noticeable, but to bark at me “there is no more maker’s mark” when I simply state my observation (that I was not given my requested liquor) and after he never gave me the opportunity to request an alternative of my own choosing is yet another example of poor service quality. Yet another (older, male) waiter during one of our breakfasts had the nerve to tell me to go get my own coffee (for which I assume there was a self-service option) after I requested cappuccino (which I could not prepare on my own as a guest). Again, he was able to listen and understand when my boyfriend spoke and made requests. Lastly, our couple’s Swedish massage was subpar. I initially gave it 5 stars, but on reflection, if we paid for medium/heavy pressure and receive light pressure, it can make a difference (or none at all in terms of providing tension release) - especially for one who regularly lifts weights and works out like myself. Again, overall I would recommend this resort and it was a pleasant stay, but misogyny and the associated poor treatment are memories that will also stand out when it comes to reminiscing.

I have been visiting Barcelo resorts for the past 16 years, including stays in Aruba, Punta Cana, Tucancún, Maya Palace, Maya Riviera, Caribe, Tropical, and even the property in Puerto Plata. I’ve always stood by the Barcelo brand because of the consistency, service, and overall experience they deliver. I initially began writing this review as a negative one. When I arrived at Royal Hideaway Playacar, the room had a strong odor similar to wet cat or cat litter. Before my trip, I emailed the hotel to request restaurant reservations, and they confirmed everything would be arranged in advance. However, upon arrival, no reservations had been made. When I went to the front desk, I was told that reservations must be handled through the concierge assigned to my building — but there was no concierge in the building. I spent about 30 minutes walking from building to building before finally locating someone who could help. At that point, I was ready to write off this stay entirely. But then I met Armando, our concierge — and that changed everything. Armando went above and beyond in every possible way. He immediately tried to find us another room to address the odor issue. He personally reorganized all of our restaurant reservations. He even arranged for us to have reserved pool chairs, which made a huge difference in our daily experience. What impressed me most was that he took the time to recognize that I am both an Occidental member and a Barcelo member — something that showed genuine attention to detail and respect for loyal guests. Thanks to Armando, my stay at Royal Hideaway was turned around. While I still believe the resort has areas that need improvement, his professionalism, effort, and care made me reconsider my initial impression. Because of him, I would consider giving Royal Hideaway another chance in the future.

My wife and I just returned from a week at the Royal Hideaway and are looking at when we can go back. This was my first time on the east coast of Mexico after nearly 2 decades of vacationing on the west coast. Mostly Puerto Vallarta. I didn't know what to expect because the resort has mixed reviews but was pleasantly surprised. The staff was excellent. Thank you Fernanda, Miriam, Aurelia and Aurellio! This is a Adults only resort but we did see a couple with 2 very well behaved teenage girls (best gues is 16+). It seems like the resort guests are mainly English speakers. Americans, Canadians and British with a few Spanish speakers. The staff speaks English fairly well with several being completely fluent. Fernando told us she took lessons and watched a LOT of Friends on TV.! I will echo what some of the other requests stated. The AC is marginal in the rooms but my wofe and i had no problems sleeping after the first night. If you expect a 65° F room 100 percent of the time then you will need to look elsewhere. We found that after a day of laying by the pool and doing the activities on the resort the room was cool and refreshing. We would also recommend that you email the resort prior to you arrival with your dinner reservations for the various restaurants. We only did the first part of our week and had to eat when they had openings rather than our preferred times. Thank you again Fernanda for helping us out there. In summary, this is a nice resort with good amenities at a decent price point. If you are expecting Waldorf Astoria service then yous should probably look elsewhere. If you are looking for a nice resort with a competent staff who enjoy their jobs then this is a good choice

Many times here and never disappointed This may have been the best trip here yet. Only downside was the sargassum, and your resort cleaned up the beach as best you can

We really enjoyed our stay at Royal Hideaway Playacar. It’s a beautiful, smaller, peaceful resort with a more mature crowd. The grounds are lovely, the beach has plenty of loungers, and we appreciated that there are no wristbands separating guests by what they paid. The biggest issue was the sargassum. We know it’s a natural problem, but cleanup was inconsistent and there was often no clear path into the ocean. At one point, a dead animal was decomposing in it, covered in flies and maggots. We also met a guest who stepped into it, experienced burning, and later developed blisters. We can't say what caused that, but it was concerning. Beach vendors were also very persistent, approaching us every 5–10 minutes. A vendor-free section of beach or designated vendor market would allow guests to relax without constant interruptions. Food was good but not exceptional, and we've had better elsewhere. Dinner requires reservations and restaurants aren't all open every night. Vegan options are limited, but Chef Carlos Chay went above and beyond to accommodate me. Carlos Quintal, a restaurant manager, was also incredibly kind when I became sick during our stay. Our concierge was nice, but communication was inconsistent. A simple update when she was still working on a request would have helped. The fitness center was excellent, and we especially enjoyed the karaoke and circus-style show. Menus in additional languages would also be helpful for the many international guests. Special thanks to our housekeeper Adelfina—we left her a $20 tip when she was off on our last day and hope she received it! We loved the resort and would consider returning. If I hadn't experienced better resorts, I'd give it five stars. There is a lot to love, but I genuinely think Royal Hideaway can do better.