Sandos Caracol Playa del Carmen...who to dive with and where to eat...

[njneer630]

Hey all,

My wife and I are leaving for Playa next week. Neither of us have been there before. She booked it and picked Sandos Caracol Eco Resort and Spa...hmmm....not quite rave reviews on TA...so I'm a little concerned. It's an all-inclusive, but a budget all-inclusive. Stuff comes up "missing" from your room, bad food, etc...
They have a dive op on site - Scuba Libre. I haven't heard alot about them. Anyone have any info about them? Sand Dollar on Coz comes highly recommended by a friend but I don't know if they also operate at Playa. I've sent them a few emails but haven't gotten a reply. I tried calling once and got no answer. We'd like to dive at least once each near Playa, Coz, and in a cenote.
Also, anyone have any suggestions for nice restaurants in Playa?

Thanks!

 

[AmyWeb]

My husband selected the Royal Elite Sandos Caracol primarily because it was described as Eco friendly. We were all very pleased. Large water coolers in all of the rooms, insect repellent available everywhere, great recycle bins...all of these are great ideas for a resort. A la carte restaurants were all very acceptable, especially the vegetarian one. Lots of activity for families and spaces available for just adults. Our only 2 concerns were: most people there were smoking and considering there were so many children, well it's just plain wrong. The resort should be complimented for having smoking sections BUT how do you enforce it? Among the European community you would think that smoking is a cure for cancer!!! Our other concern is the noise from the walkways outside the rooms. Other than that what a very nice resorption

 

[Beyond_Diving]

If you feel like venturing outside of the resort for your diving, I would like to offer you the services of my shop Beyond Diving. Please check us out on www.beyonddivingscuba.com and feel free to contact me at any time if you have any questions.

Erik

 

[Midge907]

Check out CenoteXpierience in Playa. They have a awesome operation, and will do cenote dives and ocean dives around Playa. As for diving Cozumel, check out Tres Pelicanos Dive Center, they have a great operation and are highly recommended on TA. Enjoy your trip.

 

[ScubaMarc]

Went during the summer and I have the same opinion as AmyWeb. One thing I did was to join SANDOS HOTELS and for some reason this gave us a free room upgrade and platinum status. If you do not get anything on check in, ask. Get a new room, very clean, no issues. Old rooms are disgusting.

I did not dive on this trip, I was a family trip :-( I did stop into the dive shop, looks ok. They said most dives where canceled, but there was a hurricane about 1000 miles away which made the water very choppy.

Also, a few years earlier I dove a cenote out of playa del carmen. I do not remember who, but the cenote was cool. picts: 2008 Playa Del Carmen - Cenote

 

[bwetter]

Contact Jesus - cavernking@hotmail.com - he can personally take you to Ocean, Cozumel and cenotes
if you go with him have him take you "Taco Paco" in Akumel ...best Fish and Shrimp tacos
Off 5th in PDC across from Coco Bongo is a Brazilian Steakhouse "Ipanemas".. best food, go hungry and don't fill up on salad bar