Sandos Caracol Nature Resort & Water Park All Inclusive

Tropical jungle setting + beach + wildlife + adventure. So much to do. Good food and great service. Highly recommend for family looking for a variety of activities!! Spacious rooms. Book with a travel agent who can offer Royal Elite benefits!!! Totally worth it. (Recommend Bries Vacation.) Excellent value!!

We stayed as a couple here for a cheeky 10 night break, booked as a package from the UK with TUI. Pulling up to the reception, we were impressed by the appearance of the entrance and the elephant lobby. Check in speed wasn't the quickest after all those hours of travelling, but then you are taken to your room on a cart and the bus boys carry your cases and show you in. We were in a family room which was perfect for the 2 of us, but if we had taken our kids, the room definitely wouldn't have been big enough as there was no additional seating inside, or enough storage/hanging rails etc for everybodys clothing. This is something to keep in mind, but not a complaint because we weren't planning on being inside the room all that much. Plus we enjoyed having all of the space and ended up using the bunk beds as additional hanging space. Toilet and shower were ok - no issues re plumbing or cleanliness. His and hers sinks were lovely, towels changed every day, mini bar filled every day with cans of coke, fanta, sprite, water and beer. There was also a large water dispenser in the room but we didn't use this. The location is naturally stunning with lots of lovely trails - and so much wildlife!! You will see monkeys, racoons, coatis, muscovy ducks, iguanas, geckos, agouti, super large fish and turtles.When eating at the main buffet, you can sit outside on the decked area and watch the turtles swimming about which is super lovely and some cheeky coatis looking for a crumb here and there. We thoroughly enjoyed walking around the paths, as they were very well maintained and there's so much to see and spot throughout. There are cenotes, some ruins, some tunnels and even an Indiana Jones style bridge. PS. take some mozzy spray with you if you are prone to being bit - it is in a jungle afterall. There is a proper water park on site - although we didn't go to this because we didn't have our kids with us but it looked decent. There is a romantic boat cruise for couples that you can do and also free bike hire. The onsite shops are expensive, however I feel this is the case for every resort and just ensures you pack better for next time. The white sandy beach was lovely and stretches quite far. Bigger than where we have previously stayed in Mexico before. Take hard bottomed pool shoes for the sea! We were impressed by the efforts of the beach cleaners in regards to the sargassum. When travelling to the caribbean, you should expect there to be sargassum - it is not the hotels fault and they deal with it as best as they can. During our stay, we saw a designated team with barrows, raking it up daily, and it honestly wasn't an issue at all. On one day out of our 10 it was pretty bad - but it was the very last day so not an issue for us. There are lots of people offering massages and selling things - again politely declined and left to get on with our holiday. Food in the main buffet was varied and we actually preferred eating there than the midnight battle for the reservations. We did go to the Japanese restaurant which is always a great show, but ultimately is the same food/tricks no matter where you go in the world. Personally, we just enjoyed having the variation of the buffet more than restrictive set restuarant menus because it is nice to be able to have a little bit of whatever you fancy. There was a fresh pizza area, fresh pasta section, grilled fish and meat, sushi, cheeses, salads etc. The only thing I would say that could be improved is more ice cream machines throughout the site because the buffet only had 1 and it was in constant use so often wouldn't have time to refreeze. We weren't aware of any other ice cream stations anywhere else on site to just visit. Evening entertainment - as you would expect, a variety of family shows. We saw the Michael Jackson one - that was entertaining. Drinks are ok, again as you would expect for all inclusive - brands are included such as Jim beam, malibu, smirnoff etc. Seen some reviews saying that the barmen favoured other guests/couldn't be bothered to make certain drinks - we never witnessed any of this. Some guests do lack manners though. There were lots of variety of street markets, food stands and artistic works throughout our stay in the evenings. Currency - we used pesos for tipping as staff prefer it due to the exchange rate that is required on usd. There is an atm onsite but I would recommend taking currency with you, because it only gives out large notes of 500s which are difficult to get changed to smaller currency amounts. Loved the juice bar next to the beach - Kaboom all the way! We noted that the pool bars didn't open until 10am (at beach) and 11am at the smaller pool so we would take a couple of the cans from the room just so that we had a drink with us. We saw the pools being cleaned every day/water tested. On day 3 we were invited to a meeting regarding the use of adults only sections (beach club I think it was called), the obvious upselling of the timeshare scheme which is incentivised by a nice breakfast and gifts. We politely declined this right from the start and wasn't bothered again about it. For us, we would simply have booked an adults only hotel if we wanted an adults only environment, and if we had of upgraded, to a degree, it still would have meant seeing and hearing peoples kids anyway. Overall, we had a wonderful stay, we usually never go back to the same resort twice because there is so much of the world to see and experience, but here is one place I would definitely return to. We absolutely loved the wildlife and the natural beauty of the surroundings were one of the most picturesque we have seen. Alot of the bad reviews that are left by people do seem very nit picky and come across as entitled. Don't let them put you off - holidays are what you make of them, and often bad experiences are by opinionated people seeing the worst and thinking the world should revolve round them. The only negative things I would comment on are other guests and their lack of watching their own kids/letting them run wild and ruining other peoples peace.

We arrived at Sandos Caracol Eco on 30th April and looked forward to our 2 week stay. All the staff have been very friendly. Especially if you try out your Spanish with them. (Even it's not very good!). Our room was on the top (3rd storey) of the block. It was roomy with excellent Aircon (which was definitely needed!) lots of little extras like an iron and ironing board, and 2 umbrellas in case of rain. Safe was free and easy to use. Hairdryer was not very powerful but not really an issue. (It did stop working on the next to last day but was replaced with a 'normal' hairdryer. We tried all the restaurants and enjoyed them all. The teppanyaki, in our opinion, was the best as it was fun and delicious. Even the buffet restaurant had a wide selection of foods for all tastes. The bars were all great with lots of different drinks available. Even premium brands. We stayed in the Select area which was adults only. It was nice to have a rest from children. But also lovely to see them enjoying themselves in the other areas. The jungler was the adult restaurant for breakfast and lunch and it was near the pool. You could go in and eat or have snacks by the poolside. Waitresses/waiters would come around the pool to take orders. There was an adults only beach bar, with sun loungers and beds available on the beach, also very relaxing with waiter/waitress service. There is an abundance of animals around the complex. Spider monkeys, coatis, agoutis, raccoons, squirrels, small lizards and much bigger Iguanas. All amazing to see. Just remember to close your bags when by the pool as the monkeys and coatis will explore to find food. Also in your rooms, don't leave an open door unguarded, they'll be in like a shot. Lots of water sports available on the beach. We went snorkeling and saw Rays and Turtles as well as many fish varieties. It was amazing. We also had massages on the beach. Very thorough and very relaxing with the sound of the sea. We would like to thank all the staff for making our stay memorable but some stood out more than others. Diego and Gael in La Jungla, very friendly and entertaining. We had a laugh and learned new Spanish phrases. Kiin beach bar we were looked after by Omiara (Omi to friends) who we have unofficially adopted. Clara provided massage on the beach accompanied by her daughter and Valentino. I would definitely recommend Clara, and they are so much cheaper than the resorts spa. Just a couple of negatives, the holiday was chosen partly because of the activities available. We were looking forward to kayaking down the river in the resort, this was no longer an option also not available was swimming in the cenotes in the resort. They were closed to allow nature to restore. I understand, but was upset that we only found out during our stay and not before. You can go kayaking in the sea but it was a bit choppy at times. Towards the end of our holiday, the buffet restaurant and the Brazilian rodizio restaurant were closed to refurbish. Although there were plenty of alternatives available. We had a great time.

esta inmerso en plena naturaleza

es un hotel viejo, caro y con poco mantenimiento. En la habitación entraba agua por el techo cuando llovía. El techo del comedor "el nido" tiene agujeros tan grandes en el techo de paja que la gente se moja toda cuando llueve. No le hacen mantenimiento hace años, según nos comento personal del hotel. Los comedores típicos "italiano, brasilero, laguna..." al mediodía tienen el mismo menú. Subo fotos de capturas de videos de lo relatado.

Great resort overall, second time return in 10 years. Changes seen have made the resort less appealing. Location about 45 mins to hour away from the airport. Took Canadian Transfer for a smoother ride. Atmosphere is family. Most are there with young families. Rooms are cleaned daily but tipped expected a little extra service but didnt even get facecloths multiple days in a row. Value was excellent overall for what you pay. Noise was appropriate for where you attended. Main pool had music with decent entertainment. Quieter pools and area were as expected. Some great family experiences were feeding monkeys(using bananas) from our room deck. Fruit smoothie bar. Pools. Bike riding. Nightly shows. Poor changes and false advertising: Water Park(new addition from 10 years ago) absolute garbage. Dont open til 10, half slides don't work, specific height for the three slide areas( major issue for our 2 kids), no alcohol, drink bar don't open til 1, constantly hear the staff blowing whistle as none of this was clear when you entered. Kids stated "worst Waterpark ever" The river is half gone, I think it had to do with the Waterpark. Cenote is closed for swimming. (Still showing same advertising video from the past) No romantic boat tour. (Also in the advertising video) Week long stay and we're only able to book the Italian, Brazilian, and the steak house. You can only book for 6 pers. Bookings were open at 2 in the morning. When asked seemed to get different answers from the staff(heard it was slow season) place was busy. Snack bar from the past closed (open at all hours) Had burgers and fries and was quiet popular and close to the main pool area. Want people going aware as I was sad by the changes as these were some of the reasons I wanted to return. Overall this resort gives you experiences you don't get from other resorts. Just be aware when you are planning a large group or have kids that are different heights and go for the Waterpark.

Surroundings and eco style and facilities

Some of the clientele were a little rowdy and the main pool activities encouraged such behaviour.

Araceli and Antonia in La Laguna are the BEST!!! We would come back just bc of their kindness.

Antonia and Araceli from La Laguna were such a pleasure. Remembering my wife and I plus knowing our drink orders right when we walked in was such a plus! For them to see so many people everyday and still provide top notch service, is a plus to the resort. Keep these ladies happy, and they will keep your guest returning!

​I stayed at Sandos Caracol Eco Resort last week with my family, and the experience was highly unsatisfactory. While the hotel’s natural setting has potential, the service and internal management are severely lacking for the price point. ​Critical issues during our stay: ​Booking Breach: I booked a Penthouse with a separate bedroom back in January. Upon arriving at 9:00 PM, we were given a single-room suite with no privacy. The front desk refused to take responsibility, and we ended up in a lower-category room without any price adjustment. ​Hygiene Issues: We discovered a large number of cockroaches in our room. Although staff came to fumigate immediately, it was a disgusting and unacceptable experience. ​Restaurant & App Management: Their app is merely an information page that fails for bookings. The a-la-carte reservation system is absurd: it only opens at midnight for slots 48 hours in advance, leaving guests without options for the first few nights. Furthermore, it is frustrating to see dozens of empty tables while the system claims there is no availability. ​Poor Service: At the "Los Lirios" restaurant, it took over 60 minutes to serve our order. ​Outdated Technology: The room's TV was a 10-year-old model with no ability to cast from phones or tablets. ​Lack of Resolution: The assistant manager offered a 10% refund for the inconveniences. Despite providing our bank details before checkout, the refund has not been credited three days after our departure. ​The only silver lining: The natural surroundings, green areas, and wildlife are great for children. However, the appalling management completely overshadows the resort's virtues. I do not recommend this hotel.