Back from Playacar Palace and Royal Cancun

NorthMinnesota · 04-30-2007

I got back from Cancun on Saturday and am trying to get things organized around here but will try to get some info and pics posted.

We were at the Playacar Palace from 4/1-4/8. Scott and I were there with our youngest who is 15. We flew out of the Humphrey Terminal on Sun Country Airlines. The flight was extremely bumpy but landed safely and found beautiful weather in Cancun. Greeted by a very nice Playainfo driver and we were off to Playa! Ride was uneventful and we were happy to pull into the Playacar Palace and be greeted warmly with champagne and cold towels. This is the life!!! Check in was very smooth and there was a nice bar and buffet set up for us to help ourselves in the lounge that was used for checkin during the day. Our rooms weren't ready but we changed and headed to the pool area. The view was stunning.

NorthMinnesota · 04-30-2007

As soon as we plopped into our comfy loungers a server approached and greeted us warmly and asked for our drink order. All week the servers were prompt, courteous and very friendly. They brought around cold bottles of water to pass out throughout the day and also brought around samples of special drinks for us to try. They were delicious! Headed in from the pool around 4:00 and got the keys to our room. It was lovely and we loved the contemporary vibe and decor! Center of the resort and ocean front. Here are some pics.

View from balcony:

NorthMinnesota · 04-30-2007

We spent all of our days lounging and reading at the pool and taking dips in the ocean. There is little to no beach here. When the tide is in you step right into the water from the steps leading down to the beach. When it is out there is a thin strip of the beach towards the ferry (North side). The water was calm and very clear. The location of the resort is wonderful. Just a few minutes walk right onto Fifth. Scott and I walked Fifth every morning around 8:00. It was very quiet and quite a nice walk up to Mamitas and back. Whew! We ate breakfast every am at the buffet. Yummy! Lunch was either in the buffet or around the pool. They would have grills set up and you could order burgers, chicken, steak, etc. Some days there were shrimp, beef and chicken fajitas and even paella one day. You could also order sandwiches from the pool bar area. They were different but very good. I ordered one with blue cheese, basil, gouda cheese and a Kalamata olive tapenade. Kels and Scott had a chicken salad one that they really liked.

We ordered room service and had quite a laugh. Scott ordered and asked for shrimp cocktail and smoked salmon to be delivered. The worker asked him how many shrimp he would like. Scott said he would like 6. Then he was aked how many salmon...he replied that there were three people so enough for us to share. Imagine how hard we laughed when they delivered this to our room!

yonomi · 04-30-2007

AWESOME PICS!!!!!!

Can wait to see more pics and get the details. We are staying at Aventura palace and would surely visit playacar palace. Did you go to any of the other resorts?

NorthMinnesota · 04-30-2007

Yes...we went to Moon Palace for a day as our youngest visited a friend there. It was fun...very crowded but lots to do there. Here are some pics:

We had previously stayed at the Xpu-Ha Palace and visited the spa at Aventura so we didn't go back to those.

NorthMinnesota · 04-30-2007

We also got a knock on the door after we got our room and a bottle of champagne and a plate of fresh fruit was delivered to us. What a nice welcome!Scott enjoying snacks on the balcony! The wine was already waiting for us in the room. Nice touch...it was a fairly decent cab/shiraz blend...my favorite!

LOL! You can see that I brought my laptop! We had free wireless in the room so we used it to stay in touch with oldest who was still in school.

NorthMinnesota · 04-30-2007

We loved the Luna Lounge off of the lobby. It was billed as a martini bar and served Thai appetizers.We made a point to stop here before dinner every night for drinks and snacks. The appetizers were wonderful. I recommend ordering some if you stay here. Thought I had some food pics but can't find them...they may be on Kels' camera.
Luna Lounge:

Lobby bar:

NorthMinnesota · 04-30-2007

We were pretty boring this vacation. Spent most of our time during the day reading, sunning and swimming. Scott and I wanted to go to Isla Mujeres since it was included in our package but Kels just wanted to stay at the resort. We did so some walks through town and Playacar in the mornings and evening. Checked out the golf course, spa and gym also. They were very nice! Had turn down service every night. They left sweets and turned on all the cool lights. Never used the jacuzzi.
OUr daily routine:

View from lobby bar to pool and ocean:

debk · 04-30-2007

Glad I found your report! Great pictures! I was following your other thread where you were "upgraded?" to the Royal Cancun and look forward to your report! We were at the Royal Playa del Carmen (RPR) with the other resort in consideration being the Playacar Palace.

Can you hear the ocean in the loungers by the pool? Those ocean front room really appeal to me. I loved the RPR, but am always looking at the next time!!

2theC · 04-30-2007

Thank you for posting your report...I had anxiously been awaiting the details. My husband and I are heading back to the PP for the 3rd time in 19 days. Great pics! Makes we wish were there now.

NorthMinnesota · 05-01-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by debk

Glad I found your report! Great pictures! I was following your other thread where you were "upgraded?" to the Royal Cancun and look forward to your report! We were at the Royal Playa del Carmen (RPR) with the other resort in consideration being the Playacar Palace.

Can you hear the ocean in the loungers by the pool? Those ocean front room really appeal to me. I loved the RPR, but am always looking at the next time!!

You can definitely hear the ocean.

NorthMinnesota · 05-01-2007

We really enjoyed Terrazza, the Italian restaurant. It is a beautiful option for dinner. The crystal added sparkle and an air of sophistication and the menu was varied. Loved the parmesan soup, salmon and the fettucini with a mushroom and cream sauce!!! The wall of wine was very interesting and the staff excellent. Make sure you take the opportunity to eat here.

MoMoNoHaNa was the Asian place to eat. We were pleasantly surprised at how much we liked this place! This was Kels' favorite. The plate of sushi for appetizers was a nice added bonus. Bottles of wine were available at all of the restaurants. None of the restaurants ever seemed overcrowded and no reservations were necessary. Ate breakfast at the buffet which was always fresh and hot. Loved having my Mimosa to start out the day!

Sushi!

NorthMinnesota · 05-01-2007

Walked through town most evenings to people watch and enjoy the sites. The little church at the beginning of 5th was beautiful! Did not think town was as crowded as our past few visits and our shuttle driver said he thought the amount of tourists was down for the week before Easter. Met some friends on Thursday night, posed for pics at a few places and ate at Karen's...the girls picked the spot. They liked the band that was playing. Food was good...nothing special but we all had fun. Everyone split up to do some shopping and all of a sudden the sky just darkened and a huge storm let loose! What a downpour! Scott and I made it in to Carboncita's and enjoyed some beverages while watching for our group to assemble on the corner. The girls splashed their way up 5th and looked like drowned rats. I could hardly believe how flooded the street gets! The rain wasn't letting up so we walked home in the downpour. We were met at the resort by staff with big fluffy towels to dry off with in the lobby...wonderful!

Small ruin by resort:

Photo ops:

Karen's:

Have some pics of the rain experience but they're on Kels' camera. Will post later.

NorthMinnesota · 05-01-2007

We had originally planned on heading to Cozumel on Friday as friends were arriving on a cruise for the day. At the last minute they decided they wanted to visit Playa instead so we met them at the ferry and walked the beach to find a place to enjoy the day. Wanted to visit the Playa Maya but they didn't have room for us so we just went next door to the Alahambra, got some loungers and visited, ate lunch and shopped. It was a fun day but decided we are not small beach club people. There was too much going on around us and we prefer the quiet and unencumbered views of the ocean.
Lunch and beach at the Alahambra

SunDowner · 05-01-2007

Really enjoying your report and pictures.

We had debated on going to the Playacar Palace this year but have opted on going back to the ASP. Maybe next year we'll try the Playacar Palace.

04-30-2007	#1 (permalink)
NorthMinnesota añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 5,600	Back from Playacar Palace and Royal Cancun I got back from Cancun on Saturday and am trying to get things organized around here but will try to get some info and pics posted. We were at the Playacar Palace from 4/1-4/8. Scott and I were there with our youngest who is 15. We flew out of the Humphrey Terminal on Sun Country Airlines. The flight was extremely bumpy but landed safely and found beautiful weather in Cancun. Greeted by a very nice Playainfo driver and we were off to Playa! Ride was uneventful and we were happy to pull into the Playacar Palace and be greeted warmly with champagne and cold towels. This is the life!!! Check in was very smooth and there was a nice bar and buffet set up for us to help ourselves in the lounge that was used for checkin during the day. Our rooms weren't ready but we changed and headed to the pool area. The view was stunning. Last edited by NorthMinnesota; 04-30-2007 at 01:27 PM.

04-30-2007	#3 (permalink)
NorthMinnesota añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 5,600	We spent all of our days lounging and reading at the pool and taking dips in the ocean. There is little to no beach here. When the tide is in you step right into the water from the steps leading down to the beach. When it is out there is a thin strip of the beach towards the ferry (North side). The water was calm and very clear. The location of the resort is wonderful. Just a few minutes walk right onto Fifth. Scott and I walked Fifth every morning around 8:00. It was very quiet and quite a nice walk up to Mamitas and back. Whew! We ate breakfast every am at the buffet. Yummy! Lunch was either in the buffet or around the pool. They would have grills set up and you could order burgers, chicken, steak, etc. Some days there were shrimp, beef and chicken fajitas and even paella one day. You could also order sandwiches from the pool bar area. They were different but very good. I ordered one with blue cheese, basil, gouda cheese and a Kalamata olive tapenade. Kels and Scott had a chicken salad one that they really liked. We ordered room service and had quite a laugh. Scott ordered and asked for shrimp cocktail and smoked salmon to be delivered. The worker asked him how many shrimp he would like. Scott said he would like 6. Then he was aked how many salmon...he replied that there were three people so enough for us to share. Imagine how hard we laughed when they delivered this to our room! Last edited by NorthMinnesota; 04-30-2007 at 02:11 PM.

04-30-2007	#6 (permalink)
NorthMinnesota añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 5,600	We also got a knock on the door after we got our room and a bottle of champagne and a plate of fresh fruit was delivered to us. What a nice welcome!Scott enjoying snacks on the balcony! The wine was already waiting for us in the room. Nice touch...it was a fairly decent cab/shiraz blend...my favorite! LOL! You can see that I brought my laptop! We had free wireless in the room so we used it to stay in touch with oldest who was still in school. Last edited by NorthMinnesota; 04-30-2007 at 02:34 PM.

04-30-2007	#7 (permalink)
NorthMinnesota añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 5,600	We loved the Luna Lounge off of the lobby. It was billed as a martini bar and served Thai appetizers.We made a point to stop here before dinner every night for drinks and snacks. The appetizers were wonderful. I recommend ordering some if you stay here. Thought I had some food pics but can't find them...they may be on Kels' camera. Luna Lounge: Lobby bar: Last edited by NorthMinnesota; 04-30-2007 at 02:45 PM.

04-30-2007	#8 (permalink)
NorthMinnesota añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 5,600	We were pretty boring this vacation. Spent most of our time during the day reading, sunning and swimming. Scott and I wanted to go to Isla Mujeres since it was included in our package but Kels just wanted to stay at the resort. We did so some walks through town and Playacar in the mornings and evening. Checked out the golf course, spa and gym also. They were very nice! Had turn down service every night. They left sweets and turned on all the cool lights. Never used the jacuzzi. OUr daily routine: View from lobby bar to pool and ocean: Last edited by NorthMinnesota; 05-01-2007 at 05:22 AM.

04-30-2007	#2 (permalink)
NorthMinnesota añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 5,600	As soon as we plopped into our comfy loungers a server approached and greeted us warmly and asked for our drink order. All week the servers were prompt, courteous and very friendly. They brought around cold bottles of water to pass out throughout the day and also brought around samples of special drinks for us to try. They were delicious! Headed in from the pool around 4:00 and got the keys to our room. It was lovely and we loved the contemporary vibe and decor! Center of the resort and ocean front. Here are some pics. View from balcony:

04-30-2007	#4 (permalink)
yonomi very sparkly Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: East Side Posts: 30	AWESOME PICS!!!!!! Can wait to see more pics and get the details. We are staying at Aventura palace and would surely visit playacar palace. Did you go to any of the other resorts?

04-30-2007	#5 (permalink)
NorthMinnesota añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 5,600	Yes...we went to Moon Palace for a day as our youngest visited a friend there. It was fun...very crowded but lots to do there. Here are some pics: We had previously stayed at the Xpu-Ha Palace and visited the spa at Aventura so we didn't go back to those.

04-30-2007	#9 (permalink)
debk beachaholic Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 437	Glad I found your report! Great pictures! I was following your other thread where you were "upgraded?" to the Royal Cancun and look forward to your report! We were at the Royal Playa del Carmen (RPR) with the other resort in consideration being the Playacar Palace. Can you hear the ocean in the loungers by the pool? Those ocean front room really appeal to me. I loved the RPR, but am always looking at the next time!!

04-30-2007	#10 (permalink)
2theC way into it Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 119	Thank you for posting your report...I had anxiously been awaiting the details. My husband and I are heading back to the PP for the 3rd time in 19 days. Great pics! Makes we wish were there now.

05-01-2007	#12 (permalink)
NorthMinnesota añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 5,600	We really enjoyed Terrazza, the Italian restaurant. It is a beautiful option for dinner. The crystal added sparkle and an air of sophistication and the menu was varied. Loved the parmesan soup, salmon and the fettucini with a mushroom and cream sauce!!! The wall of wine was very interesting and the staff excellent. Make sure you take the opportunity to eat here. MoMoNoHaNa was the Asian place to eat. We were pleasantly surprised at how much we liked this place! This was Kels' favorite. The plate of sushi for appetizers was a nice added bonus. Bottles of wine were available at all of the restaurants. None of the restaurants ever seemed overcrowded and no reservations were necessary. Ate breakfast at the buffet which was always fresh and hot. Loved having my Mimosa to start out the day! Sushi!

05-01-2007	#13 (permalink)
NorthMinnesota añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 5,600	Walked through town most evenings to people watch and enjoy the sites. The little church at the beginning of 5th was beautiful! Did not think town was as crowded as our past few visits and our shuttle driver said he thought the amount of tourists was down for the week before Easter. Met some friends on Thursday night, posed for pics at a few places and ate at Karen's...the girls picked the spot. They liked the band that was playing. Food was good...nothing special but we all had fun. Everyone split up to do some shopping and all of a sudden the sky just darkened and a huge storm let loose! What a downpour! Scott and I made it in to Carboncita's and enjoyed some beverages while watching for our group to assemble on the corner. The girls splashed their way up 5th and looked like drowned rats. I could hardly believe how flooded the street gets! The rain wasn't letting up so we walked home in the downpour. We were met at the resort by staff with big fluffy towels to dry off with in the lobby...wonderful! Small ruin by resort: Photo ops: Karen's: Have some pics of the rain experience but they're on Kels' camera. Will post later.

05-01-2007	#14 (permalink)
NorthMinnesota añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 5,600	We had originally planned on heading to Cozumel on Friday as friends were arriving on a cruise for the day. At the last minute they decided they wanted to visit Playa instead so we met them at the ferry and walked the beach to find a place to enjoy the day. Wanted to visit the Playa Maya but they didn't have room for us so we just went next door to the Alahambra, got some loungers and visited, ate lunch and shopped. It was a fun day but decided we are not small beach club people. There was too much going on around us and we prefer the quiet and unencumbered views of the ocean. Lunch and beach at the Alahambra

05-01-2007	#15 (permalink)
SunDowner beachaholic Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: West Virginia Posts: 493	Really enjoying your report and pictures. We had debated on going to the Playacar Palace this year but have opted on going back to the ASP. Maybe next year we'll try the Playacar Palace.

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