Anyone stayed at Hacienda Vista Real? (PDC)

[donnad]

we are going to this resort, just for 3 night getaway, will swim w/whale sharks one day, just chill on the beach the other day. my question is.........this resort claims to have a shuttle to take you to their private beach club, which is 30 min. away??? is that right? are we better off to take a taxi to playa del carmen (only a few min. away) for beach time? one review says they don't have a shuttle to their beach anymore, i'm confused. has anyone been there lately?

 

[Ed Hatfield]

The resort is actually in Playacar which is the 'gated community' attached to the south of Playa del Carmen. I don't know what beach access they provide but the beaches there are as nice as PDC as it is really one long beach. It is interrupted by the ferry terminal and the area just before Fisherman's Cove is erroded away. The 30 minutes to the 'beach club' doesn't make sense unless they are taking you to an affilited resort. I prefer Playa but that's because there are restaurants, shopping, dive ops - all the things I go on vacation for.

 

[divinglife]

By a quick look at the website, it does look like the hotel has a beach club off-site. That might be because the beaches in Playacar are very eroded and un-impressive. Their beach club is located at Xpu-Ha which is a great beach with some ok snorkeling onsite. Its about a 20 minute drive south of Playacar.