TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

Overall this resort is about 4.4 stars. We had really good service. But I must tell you something…(now click the Read More)… I read some of the reviews about people trying to sell you things. If you’re a tourist in one of these countries EXPECT that! Especially at an all-inclusive resorts. All you have to do is politely say no thanks or even better no gracias and move on. Many reviews also complained about bad service and being unfriendly, we had the exact opposite experience , maybe you are the problem which I will explain below. Treat the staff respectfully and tip! Here’s something everyone should know when visiting all-inclusive hotels…go to the bank before you leave and get $100 in $1s and $100 in $5s. Tip in advance! Find your housekeeper on day 1 and tip her. Tip every time you eat…even if it’s just a few dollars. The food overall was not disappointing. A few things here and there. My experience with that was only with the “American” dishes, not the native ones (you’re in Mexico not Vegas). Two restaurants were closed for renovations but it’s summer time…that’s when hotels do work, maintain, and improve. Which is what you want! The buffet was 4.5 stars. Some of the restaurants are outside with fans only and it’s hot and there are mosquitoes which is a huge turn off. Bring light pants or bug spray…which I forgot to do. The water park is fun for kids and adults. Our room was overlooking the main pool and was a spacious one bedroom. Clean, cold, and minibar is stocked daily. Shows are fun especially on Wednesday with “Michael Jackson”. I want to recognize Yeni, Aranceli, and Jesus for your service at the buffet. Excellent service. Kevin at the pool bar was excellent as well. Also book Templo which is the Hibachi restaurant it’s a really fun time. We went twice! Whooop whooop! You’ll get it when you’re there. Fogo de Brazil is good but outside. I recommend waiting for the picanha to come around and the bacon wrapped turkey. Enjoy and I would come back.

I was traveling with Katherine and we'd like to thank the hotel for their reply. We have many things to add now that you've responded but I'll stick to our gravest concern in my rebuttal. I must respectfully push back on your characterization of our dietary needs as “highly personalized” and therefore outside the scope of what Sandos Caracol provides. We chose Sandos Caracol specifically because your website repeatedly highlights “vegan cuisine”—on the resort overview, dining pages, restaurant descriptions, and even activity listings. If this is no longer accurate, these claims should be removed, as they are misleading. Furthermore, we emailed ahead of time to outline our family’s dietary restrictions, assuming this would activate any relevant protocols your resort claims to have in place for special diets. You state that no prior request was recorded through your direct channels. Whether or not our email landed in the right inbox is not our responsibility—it is the resort’s duty to maintain clear, reliable systems for receiving and processing such information. We also informed multiple staff members on-site. The fact that no allergy protocol was ever “activated” reflects a breakdown in your internal communication—not a failure on our part to notify you. Throughout the trip, we raised our concerns daily with servers and staff, but we encountered confusion at every turn. Some restaurants flatly said no vegan food was available. Others gave incorrect—and, frankly, dangerous—information. At the buffet, we were explicitly told that both the beans (which contained bacon) and the soup (made with meat broth) were vegan. These are just two examples from a longer list of labeling and communication failures. There appears to be no clear system or trained point person for handling dietary restrictions. If such a department exists, it’s inaccessible to guests. Having a direct, responsive channel for food allergies and special diets would make a significant difference in both safety and guest experience. Instead, we were left guessing—until we met Ivette, who went above and beyond to help. Until then, we were forced to pay out of pocket to eat offsite, despite having booked an “all-inclusive” stay. To be clear: veganism, like kosher or halal, is not a luxury preference. For many families—including mine—it is rooted in ethical, religious, and medical principles. This is not about personalization; it’s about basic food safety, labeling, and transparency, all of which failed during our stay. I appreciate that you are now reviewing your labeling and cross-contamination procedures. But this is not just a back-of-house issue—it’s a marketing problem. When your resort publicly promotes vegan offerings and then fails to deliver even basic, safe accommodations, it’s not just disappointing—it’s misleading.

We booked Sandos Caracol Eco Resort because it advertised vegan dining options—an essential requirement for our family, including a child with an allergy. We emailed ahead to confirm these accommodations, but received no response. Once on site, we quickly realized how unprepared the resort was. Vegan options were scarce and poorly labeled—I accidentally ate beans containing bacon on the first night and ended up violently ill. Thank God I brought my child’s EpiPen. To be clear: for many of us, veganism is as serious and structured as keeping kosher. Shared cooking utensils, pots, and pans simply don't cut it. Speaking of which—why are kosher options still an afterthought at so many resorts? Two months before our trip, we also emailed about issues with our reservation. The reply? “We can’t make changes until you arrive.” My entire family knew that was a red flag—and, sure enough, we had issues at check-in. Our wristband keys didn’t work. We had to trek back and forth from our rooms to the front desk multiple times before I insisted they come to us. The front desk staff blamed the door batteries, but we knew that wasn’t it. Eventually, they replaced our wristbands entirely and verified that they worked—finally resolving the issue. When I asked to speak with a supervisor, Gustavo Esparza arrived and was immediately defensive. No apology. No accountability. Just a list of reasons why the issue was supposedly the fault of Delta or AmEx (since we booked through them). But our initial email exchange made no mention of needing to contact either one. I wasn’t asking for finger-pointing—I just wanted someone to fix the problem. That's basic hospitality. Safety and design flaws also left much to be desired. The pool steps are the same color as the pool floor, making them invisible and causing toe stubs left and right; everyone was bleeding. The pool floor is rocky, yet all other surfaces—walkways, stairs, you name it—are dangerously slippery when wet. Between morning dew, cleaning, and rain, it became a constant risk. My 7-year-old fell hard on her tailbone, and my mother, who’s recovering from knee surgery, could barely move around without treaded footwear. There are no anti-slip treads on the steps. How is this not a lawsuit waiting to happen? The towel card system is another outdated and frustrating policy. Lose your towel card, and you’ll be charged $50. I watched guests steal towels off empty chairs just to avoid that cost. Isn’t there a better way? Using guests’ existing wristbands/room keys to check towels in and out seems far more secure, and far less hostile. Designated smoking areas are not enforced. Guests smoked wherever they pleased, including around children. Only one staff member—Marlon from the entertainment team—intervened after I asked him to. Everyone else ignored it, or shrugged. That’s unacceptable, especially at a family-friendly resort. Now, the good: the wildlife was extraordinary. Monkeys swinging overhead, coatis darting between paths, and all kinds of birds (including a peacock)!—it was like living inside a nature documentary. There was also a petting zoo with pigs and donkeys to feed. The spa and gym were clean, modern, and a welcome retreat. We also booked the Temezcal ceremony on Saturday (for a fee), and it was a beautiful, powerful experience that brought cultural richness and depth to the trip. Entertainment overall was mid-tier, but the fire show stood out—a mesmerizing, educational immersion into Mayan culture. The staff who went above and beyond deserve serious praise. Hugo, our favorite waiter, made every meal feel special. We looked for his section daily. Ivette was our hero—once she realized our food limitations, she coordinated daily with the kitchen to ensure our family had safe, satisfying meals. Chefs Izano, Gladys, and Eduardo prepared dedicated vegan dishes for us each day. These employees are the reason we didn’t pack up and leave. In short, Sandos Caracol Eco Resort wants to be an eco-luxury experience—but until it improves its service, communication, food safety, and basic infrastructure, it simply isn’t. I would not recommend it to families with dietary needs, accessibility concerns, or who expect even standard levels of hospitality. But if you go, find Hugo, Ivette, and their crew—they might be the only ones who treat your vacation like it matters.

First and probably last time staying at Sandos Caracol Eco Resort. Upon arrival, we were immediately pressured into a timeshare presentation — not what you want after a long drive with kids. Our room was infested with mosquitoes, and when we asked for help, they offered to fumigate at night while our kids were sleeping. They had no fly swatter, and we ended up covered in bites. The bathroom smelled like sewage, and although they came to fix it, the odor returned the next day. The resort shops are ridiculously overpriced: $40 USD for sunscreen, $8+ for chips. Worse, I was shorted on change when paying in pesos, and the cashier refused to make it right until I argued. I reported it to concierge, and they just said they’d “write a report.” No real resolution. Checkout was long and disorganized, adding to the frustration. Overall, unprofessional service, overpriced amenities, and poor room conditions. Definitely not worth what we paid.

This is the worst All Inclusive resort I have ever been to. The first room I was given had so many issues that I am in shock this resort had 4.7 starts in google. First room: AC and Phone did not work. Curtain was small and left a big gap open and room exposed to people passing by on one side (We were on the first floor). Shower gel dispenser was broken. And we couldn’t open the door because the batteries were dead and had to wait for maintenance to come fix it. There was mold in the shower and it was disgusting. There were also like a thousand mosquitoes in the room that I couldn’t sleep. The second room we received was in better condition, but the safe did not work, one sink had plumbing issues, and there was no iron. The restaurants had mediocre food at best, except for The Mascara (Mexican restaurant) which had the worst food I have eaten in my life. We were in Mexico expecting to have the best Mexican food and I have had better food at Mexican restaurants at airports in the US. My husband was sick and couldnt make it out of the room for dinner one night so I went into the Laguna buffet to ask if I could take food to him and one of the managers (gentleman) said that I could not, but if I fixed a plate for him they would deliver to our room so I decided to fix 2 plates and brought them to the manager and he responded “are you sure your husband is sick”? I cannot believe the level of ignorance coming from a manager and the lack of compassion he showed. All drinks are water down, alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks. Also, not all staff is friendly and/or helpful. I wanted to make reservations to the restaurants and asked for help at the front desk because the app was not working and they send me to the concierge staff who told me they couldn’t help me because I was not Elite and I needed to make the reservations by myself and online. I was at the resort for 5 full days and was not able to enjoy even 1 of the restaurants they offered. The app didn’t work at all. It was the worst experience ever and I could never recommend this place to anyone. There was one good thing and it is the nature and animals you find in this place. Also, out of all the staff: Karina in the Laguna buffet and Sol in Lirios restaurant (wedding event) were amazing and hope they can show others what customer service really means.