Reef Playacar - any reviews?

keisan · 08-14-2005

Love the site, thru research last trip selected the IB Tucan and loved it. Not available this time for the dates we need to go. Anyone have anything to say about the Reef Playacar (is this the same as "Reef Club"?) - price seems quite a bit cheaper.

Thanks.

jsotherj · 08-14-2005

We stayed there in April 04'. We really enjoyed it. We aren't picky, so we had no problems finding food we liked, we got to know some of the staff and had a good time with them. The rooms were nice, the swim up bar was fun. We never went to any of the shows, so I can't comment there. The way that it was built around the jungle setting was so very cool. Don't know if 'emily' affected that or not. All in all, we really like it there and would go back (if we were into doing AI's again)

Have fun!

**TeeZet** · 08-15-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by keisan

Love the site, thru research last trip selected the IB Tucan and loved it. Not available this time for the dates we need to go. Anyone have anything to say about the Reef Playacar (is this the same as "Reef Club"?) - price seems quite a bit cheaper.

Thanks.

Here you've got a few (note the dates they were written):
Reef Club Playacar Review

trip report to Reef club playacar

08-15-2005

I wouldn't recommend staying there. I was there last March, and wasn't impressed one bit. It was a decent resort, however there are many out there that are better, in terms of $. There was barely a beach there, a beach they say is one of the best. Also, when I was at the Reef, there was construction next door to it. Don't know if that is still going on or what. In my opinion (and it is just my opinion) I would spend my money elsewhere. The food was so-so and the people at the main desks were non-responsive to anything we asked. For instance, our A/C didn't work and we had no warm water (only freezing cold) in the morning. We asked them to either fix it or switch our rooms. After not hearing from them at all we ended up switching resorts after 3 days. Then when we got home, the resort charged us for the whole week. So, we then had to write letters of appeal after another with our travel company to dispute the charges. After ONLY 3 months did this get settled. In all, while I wsa there we talked to numerous groups who were very dissatisfied with the resort. Alot might have changed within the past few months, but I doubt it. If I were you, go to www.tripadvisor.com and look up the resort and read the reviews yourself!!

curlgirl · 10-21-2005

Heading to the Reef Club Playacar Dec. 4, due to the price. My sister & I were looking for a cheap get-a-way. Cheap it was...I have a 7 night stay AI for $420./pp, which is pretty good for an AI beachfront. I have stayed at the Reef Club Playacar Feb. '04. We had a very clean room, great service, the food was great (for the price), and the beach (at that time) was the best area of beach on the Playacar side. I have heard from a travel rep (who knows if they are right) that it was under horrible mnagement over the past year, and went under new ownership over the past 4 months. So who knows what I'll get this time. Having been to Playa before, I perfer the non-AI. My sister likes the AI so I compromised for the price. There are definitely better places to stay, but you will pay more. I will say that if you like walking into town, the Reef Club is the closest AI-hotel to town (in the Playacar section). 15 min. walk.

Another note....there is another Reef Club (Reef Coco Beach) in Playa del Carmen. It is past the Shangri-la on the other end of town.

**Shammy** · 10-21-2005

The former Reef Coco Beach, now the Coco Beach Resort (some have it listed as the Coco Bay Resort) is not part of the Reef Club chain anymore. They are two separate hotels now.

Doggiemom · 10-21-2005

I have stayed there 3 times, once in 2003 and twice in 2004. The one time in 2004 we got "bumped" to another resort due to overbooking, I was NOT happy about it, pretty much lost a whole day getting to/from the other resort, checking in/out, etc. I think the Reef club is slowly going down hill. The beach is no where near what it used to be (mother nature) and the new resort being built next door really takes away from what once was a very peaceful place. The rooms are VERY clean and staff is great, except for the front desk, I found them very rude and indifferent. I have also found the prices have gone WAY up in the last year or so. Been there, done that, not again!

08-14-2005	#1 (permalink)
keisan lost on fifth Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 12	Reef Playacar - any reviews? Love the site, thru research last trip selected the IB Tucan and loved it. Not available this time for the dates we need to go. Anyone have anything to say about the Reef Playacar (is this the same as "Reef Club"?) - price seems quite a bit cheaper. Thanks.

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08-14-2005	#2 (permalink)
jsotherj añejo Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Where the river meets the sea.... Posts: 1,870	We stayed there in April 04'. We really enjoyed it. We aren't picky, so we had no problems finding food we liked, we got to know some of the staff and had a good time with them. The rooms were nice, the swim up bar was fun. We never went to any of the shows, so I can't comment there. The way that it was built around the jungle setting was so very cool. Don't know if 'emily' affected that or not. All in all, we really like it there and would go back (if we were into doing AI's again) Have fun!

08-15-2005	#4 (permalink)
pcasperson Posts: n/a	I wouldn't recommend staying there. I was there last March, and wasn't impressed one bit. It was a decent resort, however there are many out there that are better, in terms of $. There was barely a beach there, a beach they say is one of the best. Also, when I was at the Reef, there was construction next door to it. Don't know if that is still going on or what. In my opinion (and it is just my opinion) I would spend my money elsewhere. The food was so-so and the people at the main desks were non-responsive to anything we asked. For instance, our A/C didn't work and we had no warm water (only freezing cold) in the morning. We asked them to either fix it or switch our rooms. After not hearing from them at all we ended up switching resorts after 3 days. Then when we got home, the resort charged us for the whole week. So, we then had to write letters of appeal after another with our travel company to dispute the charges. After ONLY 3 months did this get settled. In all, while I wsa there we talked to numerous groups who were very dissatisfied with the resort. Alot might have changed within the past few months, but I doubt it. If I were you, go to www.tripadvisor.com and look up the resort and read the reviews yourself!!

10-21-2005	#5 (permalink)
curlgirl into ruins Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Kennebunk, ME Posts: 69	Heading to the Reef Club Playacar Dec. 4, due to the price. My sister & I were looking for a cheap get-a-way. Cheap it was...I have a 7 night stay AI for $420./pp, which is pretty good for an AI beachfront. I have stayed at the Reef Club Playacar Feb. '04. We had a very clean room, great service, the food was great (for the price), and the beach (at that time) was the best area of beach on the Playacar side. I have heard from a travel rep (who knows if they are right) that it was under horrible mnagement over the past year, and went under new ownership over the past 4 months. So who knows what I'll get this time. Having been to Playa before, I perfer the non-AI. My sister likes the AI so I compromised for the price. There are definitely better places to stay, but you will pay more. I will say that if you like walking into town, the Reef Club is the closest AI-hotel to town (in the Playacar section). 15 min. walk. Another note....there is another Reef Club (Reef Coco Beach) in Playa del Carmen. It is past the Shangri-la on the other end of town.

10-21-2005	#6 (permalink)
Shammy Moderator Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: The Joisey Shore Posts: 10,238	The former Reef Coco Beach, now the Coco Beach Resort (some have it listed as the Coco Bay Resort) is not part of the Reef Club chain anymore. They are two separate hotels now.

10-21-2005	#7 (permalink)
Doggiemom Canine FANatic Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Humble, Texas Posts: 5,939	I have stayed there 3 times, once in 2003 and twice in 2004. The one time in 2004 we got "bumped" to another resort due to overbooking, I was NOT happy about it, pretty much lost a whole day getting to/from the other resort, checking in/out, etc. I think the Reef club is slowly going down hill. The beach is no where near what it used to be (mother nature) and the new resort being built next door really takes away from what once was a very peaceful place. The rooms are VERY clean and staff is great, except for the front desk, I found them very rude and indifferent. I have also found the prices have gone WAY up in the last year or so. Been there, done that, not again!

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