Royal Hideaway Playacar

There are hotel reviews… and then there are places you return to again and again because, somehow, they have become part of your life. For us, Royal Hideaway Playacar is the latter. Our recent stay was our 21st visit since March 2013, and once again, we left with exactly the same thought: when can we come back? So what keeps bringing us back? A boutique feel in a world of mega-resorts Royal Hideaway Playacar is a relatively small, adults-only resort, and that makes an enormous difference. Even when the hotel is at full occupancy, it never feels like a crowded, impersonal all-inclusive complex. The Mexican colonial architecture is elegant, the landscaping is absolutely beautiful, and the whole property has an intimate feel that is particularly appealing to couples and small groups of friends. The resort is divided into several villas, each with its own concierge, ready to take care of your needs and accommodate special requests: dinner reservations, excursion bookings, and all those little things that can make your stay even more enjoyable. And then there is the location: right on the ocean, on the beautiful Playacar beach. The infinity pool has one of the best ocean views imaginable, and the beach immediately in front is wide, clean and wonderfully relaxing. There are plenty of loungers, and spending hours there listening to the waves is, quite honestly, one of our favorite things to do. No agenda. No pressure. Just the Caribbean Sea. The suites: comfort without unnecessary extravagance The suites are warm, elegant and spacious enough to make a long stay genuinely comfortable. The king-size bed is simply outstanding — especially for anyone who appreciates a mattress that is kind to the lower back! The bedding is excellent, and housekeeping is performed twice daily to an exceptionally high standard. One small detail says a lot: after all these years, we are still amazed that we can walk barefoot across the floor and find virtually no dust. That level of attention to detail is not something we take for granted, even at considerably more expensive resorts. Bathrobes, slippers and premium L'Occitane bath products complete the experience. L'Occitane is certainly not what one normally expects at an all-inclusive resort in this price range. The people are the real luxury What truly sets Royal Hideaway apart, however, is its staff. In every single department, without exception, we have found the same level of professionalism: courteous, welcoming, attentive and genuinely service-oriented, while always remaining respectful of personal space. Our concierge, Fernanda, in Villa 24 is a perfect example. She is efficient and attentive. It is always a pleasure to see her and simply chat with her about anything and everything. All the concierges are extremely helpful and always willing to step in if your own concierge happens to be unavailable. Special thanks to Ricky and Armando for that. We also want to recognize Sucel, the Guest Experience Manager, whose assistance has been invaluable to us over the past few years. The Entertainment team gets something very important exactly right: they know when to engage and when to leave you alone. They understand the meaning of “relaxation”. There is a good variety of activities, but nobody is constantly trying to recruit you into one. A special hello to Alexa and Adriana, whose smiles and sense of humor always make us happy. The atmosphere among guests is also remarkably relaxed. People generally respect each other's privacy. Over the years, we have met some wonderful guests from all over the world and shared unforgettable moments with many of them. We are still in contact with some of those friends today. The shining star: the food For foodies like us, this is also where Royal Hideaway really separates itself from the all-inclusive crowd. There are five à-la-carte dinner restaurants, plus two à-la-carte daytime restaurants right by the ocean. And no, this is not a buffet-centric resort where you spend your vacation choosing between twenty variations of the same predictable dishes. The daytime restaurants (The Deck and Spices) offer excellent service, beautiful ocean views and very well-executed food. The Deck also offers a small buffet to complement your à-la-carte meal, as well as wood-fired pizza. Spices, in particular, is one of our favorite places for breakfast and lunch. Mexican cuisine — not to be confused with Tex-Mex — is beautifully represented, and sitting on the terrace for hours, looking at the Caribbean Sea while enjoying an excellent meal served by a professional team, is one of the resort’s best-kept secrets. For dinner, the variety is excellent: Ventanas — the signature restaurant, with a Mediterranean menu originally developed by a Spanish Michelin-starred chef, and subsequently refined by the Hideaway culinary team under the supervision of chef Miguel Vara. Pallazo — Italian cuisine. Azia — Thai and Asian cuisine, with teppanyaki tables. Spices — authentic Mexican cuisine. The Grill — a steakhouse that takes over The Deck in the evening. What makes these restaurants so special is not simply the food. It is the entire dining experience. First, the restaurants are beautifully designed. Ventanas, Pallazo, and Azia would not look out of place in any major international city. Tables are properly spaced, lighting is subdued, the atmosphere is intimate, and the restaurants are deliberately kept from becoming overcrowded. You can dress up, take your time, enjoy several courses, have a conversation without shouting over background noise, and spend a couple of hours enjoying your meal without ever feeling rushed — even if your reservation is at 9 PM. Every restaurant has its own chef, so the menus go well beyond the usual all-inclusive formulas, offering reinvented classics as well as original creations. Dishes are beautifully executed, often featuring local ingredients, presented in a modern fashion and served by an amazing, truly five-star service team. During our last couple of stays, we have been fortunate enough to enjoy some wonderful creations from chefs Carlos (Pallazo) and Victor (Azia), sometimes prepared especially for us because they knew we were celebrating a special occasion. That kind of personal touch is priceless. But rest assured: even if you are a first-time guest at this resort, the menu at each restaurant offers plenty of choices to explore. You will certainly want to enjoy some dishes again and again — perhaps for many more stays to come, just like us! Special mention to Carlos Quintal, one of the resort’s maîtres d’hôtel. Carlos consistently goes above and beyond to accommodate special requests whenever possible, whether for birthdays, celebrations or those little occasions that make a vacation memorable. He is a true masterclass in what it means to be a great maître d'hôtel. No wonder everybody appreciates his professionalism and dedication. It is always a true pleasure to see him again. And that pretty much sums up how we feel about Royal Hideaway's staff as a whole. After so many visits, we could probably name an extraordinary number of employees — and we would be happy to do so, because every one of them contributes to the experience. Wine, cocktails, and a sommelier The included wine selection is quite respectable for an all-inclusive: several red and white options are available, and there is also an excellent brut sparkling wine. For those looking for something more, Claudio, the resort's experienced sommelier — and quite a character! — can guide you through a well-curated wine list that gives considerable attention to Mexican wines. If you have never explored Mexican wine, do yourself a favor and try some. We strongly recommend wines from Casa Madero, my personal favorite. And then there are the cocktails. The ingredients are high quality, the drinks are flavorful and, thankfully, not overloaded with sugar. My personal favorite under the Caribbean sun? A Frozen Spicy Cucumber Margarita. It is delicious, refreshing, beautiful to look at — and absolutely nothing like those generic, sugar-heavy cocktails that unfortunately appear at some all-inclusive resorts. The poolside and beach service deserves its own paragraph Yes, you can order food and drinks directly from your beach lounger or by the pool. But what really makes it special is that the service is delivered with the same care and professionalism you would expect in a restaurant. Javier and Genaro, who have been with the resort since our very first visit in March 2013, are two of the pillars of this dream team, along with Luis, Eduardo and Jorge. Their efficiency is remarkable. After all those years, seeing familiar faces like theirs is part of what makes returning to Royal Hideaway feel like coming home. Is Royal Hideaway Playacar for everyone? No, it’s not. And that's precisely the point. If your ideal all-inclusive vacation involves enormous buffets, predictable food served as quickly as possible, dinner restaurants where shorts and tank tops are perfectly acceptable, generic cocktails, loud daytime activities, massive pool parties, swim-up bars jam-packed with people, and high-energy nightlife… this may not be your place. But if you appreciate the little things more than the fireworks — the small details that make a huge difference — such as a chilled vibe, professional service, excellent à-la-carte food throughout the day, beautifully designed dinner restaurants with nicely dressed guests, beautiful surroundings, a comfortable suite, quality drinks, intimate dinners, respectful guests, and the luxury of simply sitting by the ocean for hours doing absolutely nothing… you may have just found your place! You like to party sometimes? Meet us at the Allegria Bar for live music, karaoke and casino nights! Let’s have a few drinks and shots of tequila — or mezcal! You're up for something groovier? Grab a cab and head straight to the famous 5th Avenue to party all night long! You're only about 10 minutes away. Our little secret gem on the Riviera Maya In the increasingly crowded world of all-inclusive resorts in Quintana Roo, Royal Hideaway Playacar offers something genuinely distinctive: attention to detail at every level, world-class professionalism, outstanding food, quality beverages, an exceptionally relaxed atmosphere, comfortable accommodations, and an extraordinary beachfront location. And perhaps most importantly, it offers something that is becoming increasingly difficult to find: the feeling that the people working there genuinely care about making your vacation special. Every guest feels like a VIP at the Royal Hideaway, whether it’s your first time or your 40th! Is everything perfect? Of course not. But with all our experience at this resort, we can honestly say that the few imperfections we have noted over the years have never been enough to diminish the experience for us. In fact, the value for money remains, in our opinion, one of the best in the Riviera Maya. Royal Hideaway Playacar is not a resort that tries to overwhelm you with noise, size or spectacle. Its charms reveal themselves slowly. And then, before you know it, you're completely hooked! 21 stays. More than thirteen years. And every time we leave, we are already thinking about coming back. That's probably the best review we could possibly write. We hope you too will enjoy this truly magnificent gem and experience its magic — as so many returning guests like us do! See you again soon, Royal Hideaway ❤️🌴🥂

Alberto Abarca concerge in this hotel I recomended him and all about this hotel Alberto very kind guy and absolutely good person to all your concern. I recomended him and all personnel

My husband and I took a honeymoon trip to the Royal Hideaway. We had a great experience. Ricky was super helpful in booking dinner reservations and excursions. He was knowledgeable about the area as well. We had great luck getting good spots by the pool. Drinks and food were great! They did not do anything special for our honeymoon, which could've been a nice touch. Overall we enjoyed our stay.

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.