Sandos Playacar

⚠️ It's a long review, but if you're considering staying here, please take a few minutes to read our honest experience from beginning to end. I genuinely hope it helps other families avoid starting their vacation the way we did.

Extremely Disappointing Start to Our First Cancun Vacation

This was our family's first time visiting Cancun, and we were genuinely excited to experience everything the resort had to offer. Unfortunately, the resort made a terrible first impression that almost ruined the beginning of our vacation.

We arrived late in the evening after a long day of traveling. The very next morning, instead of enjoying the beach, pools, and beautiful property, we were directed into what was presented as an Elite Club presentation. We were told it would take only 90 minutes and that there would be absolutely no obligation.

That was far from the truth.

The presentation dragged on for nearly two and a half hours. We hadn't even had the chance to explore the resort we had already paid to stay at, yet we spent the first morning listening to a sales pitch about purchasing vacation packages for their other properties. Our children became bored and restless sitting through a conversation that clearly wasn't designed for families with young kids.

As the discussion went on, it became increasingly uncomfortable. I politely but firmly declined the offer multiple times. Instead of respecting our decision, the representative continued pushing harder and harder, trying different angles to convince both my wife and me. By the end, the atmosphere became noticeably tense because I kept saying "no." Eventually, I had to tell them to wrap it up, and I was honestly close to simply walking away after realizing they had wasted almost an entire morning of our vacation.

I simply don't understand the strategy. This was our very first visit. Shouldn't the resort want first-time guests to fall in love with this property first? Let us experience the beach, the restaurants, the service, and the amenities before trying to sell us memberships and vacations at other resorts. Instead, our first impression was feeling trapped in a lengthy sales presentation.

What made it even more puzzling was the sales pitch itself. They wanted us to commit to returning to their collection of resorts for years to come. But many travelers, including our family, enjoy exploring new destinations and different resorts. That's one of the joys of traveling. Trying to pressure guests into making a long-term commitment before they've even experienced the resort they're currently staying at feels completely backwards.

Thankfully, the natural beauty of Cancun, the beach, and the resort facilities eventually helped us recover from this frustrating start. However, those first few hours left a lasting negative impression that could have been completely avoided.

My sincere advice to the management team is to rethink this strategy as soon as possible. First impressions matter. Allow guests to enjoy their vacation first. If they have an amazing experience, they'll naturally be more open to hearing about future opportunities. Starting a vacation with a high-pressure sales presentation is not the welcome that any family expects, and it certainly isn't the memory we'll remember from our first morning in Cancun.

We came in July of 2026. Food was amazing. Service was exceptionally amazing. We would love to give 6 stars if we could. The Gourmex Mexican restaurant was excellent with delicious food. Aron and Alfonso were extremely awesome and friendly, always providing great service. Overall, 10/10 experience we highly recommend!

Francisco at the steak house who was the chef at the steak house was fantastic and the service is superb