Sandos Caracol Nature Resort & Water Park - All Inclusive

Customer ratings & reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

26534 reviews

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  Amazing experience

  What an amazing location! Hidden well off the beaten track and built in a natural jungle and mangrove environment. Sandos Caracol is fascinating and a must if you are into quiet, relaxation and nature. Let me be clear, it's not for everyone as you are in the animals environment and not your typical all inclusive holiday. Staff work hard, it's very clean, food is good with tonnes of fresh fruit and drinks on tap. Columbian coffee machines in the rooms, great entertainment, twice weekly street market and loads to see and do around the resort if like me, you get bored sat doing nothing. My only negatives, block maid service was a bit random, taking items that we are still using, hand towels one day then none for 2. The main pool with swim up bar could be a A LOT cleaner.. But because of the location, wildlife, charm and staff it's definitely a 5 star resort for me.

  Aug 18, 2025
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  The Good, Bad, and Ugly

  Our family (2 adults and a 12 year old boy) stayed at this resort from August 8-15th. This is our 3rd time in Mexico, 1st time at this resort. My extended family came here 10 years ago and had an amazing experience, but our experience was less than satisfactory. We are from Canada and with travelling becoming so expensive for a family in the last 2 years, we chose this resort as it was within our budget. The resorts we wanted to try were between 7-10K for one week so this was the most affordable. I will give you the good, the bad and the ugly. Good: The resort is absolutely beautiful. You are immersed in a jungle and it feels magical every turn you take. We found tunnels to travel through and it was very cool. We took the bikes one day during our stay and went biking to the ruins on property. It was a nice family activity and we enjoyed the breeze. We loved the entertainment. The shows every night are fantastic! Our room was air conditioned and close to the lobby area. It was cleaned daily and anything we needed we requested through the app and it was delivered in good time. We had no issue using the app. Instead of buying souvenirs my son decided to paint something to bring home with him. You can choose anything you want and they are located near the main pool. They glaze it for you overnight and it’s ready for pick up the next day. We thought it would be a nice keepsake. My son loved the spider monkeys that would come visit him every afternoon on our balcony. They are playful and absolutely adorable. Lastly, the restaurants we booked were very good. A manager helped us out by booking a restaurant for us every night of our week because my son was getting sick over the buffet food, so we appreciated having the opportunity to have a better meal in the evening. You are only allowed 3 dinners during your week if you are not royal elite, but the manager helped us out. Our favourite was the teppanyaki restaurant and the Brazilian steakhouse. The bad: The pools were not the best. I stayed away from the main pool because it didn’t look very clean to me. We enjoyed the pool next to the main pool and it was not as busy. We also found another pool by the waterpark that Google map shows as adults only, but kids can use it too. We liked using that pool as well but found our options limited by not being “royal elite”. Every 5-10 min we were bothered by workers asking if we wanted a massage. My partner did end up having one which he said was the best massage ever, but we didn’t like being bothered all the time when we were trying to rest and relax. The cenotes are pretty but we found a lot of algae build up and didn’t want our son swimming/snorkelling in it. The waterpark for kids was what helped us choose this resort, but it was closed many times and the water in the waterslides were a brownish green muddy colour and I would not let my son go down those slides. Better maintenance of the waterpark is needed and a better filtration system to keep the water clean. It looked gross and very unappealing. The ugly: The resort smells bad. Many areas of the resort have a disgusting sewage smell and it just made the resort less appealing. The beach is the worst beach I’ve seen and I’d say Ontario has way better and cleaner beaches. The water is not blue at all and I would not step foot in it. The sand was ok and the beach has plenty of spots to rest in shady areas. The last part of this resort that needs attention is the buffet. The food is very oily and greasy and repetitive. I got sick the second last day of my trip. My son hardly ate, except at the restaurant. My partner lost some weight. They need better food options and the buffet is not always the best option. A pizza shack on the beach would be nice, a 24 hour snack bar, and a coffee pub would be nice add ons for this resort. No complaints about the drinks. I drank water most the time but my partner enjoyed his alcoholic beverages. We won’t be returning and are happy we didn’t get sucked into a time share here. We said no right away. They do try to get you as soon as you’re registered at the front desk. Don’t fall for it. Your money is better spent elsewhere.

  Aug 14, 2025
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  Wonderful experience with Sandos Caracol

  My wife, 2 kids ages 7, 9 and myself all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. From the moment we drove through the gates of this resort we all fell in love. Safe, secure, serene, welcoming, and caring. All of the staff from the front desk, bell boys, servers, kids club staff, party pool workers, bartenders, royal elite staff, and security were all very kind and caring and always took the time to make sure we were enjoying ourselves. Edith from the Royal Elite club went above and beyond for myself and family and always made sure we were doing well. She even left the resort for us to get some items I couldn’t get inside the resort. She also made us feel comfortable and worry free when I had a little mix up with some sensitive paperwork which she figured out for us while we enjoyed our trip. I would highly recommend the Royal Elite packages to any travellers that enjoy Mexico and Sandos Resorts specifically. Whether you are Royal Elite or not, the resort was beyond our expectations, the eco part of the resort is why my family loved it especially. Monkeys on our deck, coatis on every trail, birds of all types, fish and turtles in the river next to our room. We loved the jungle atmosphere and all the wildlife in it. My children enjoyed the water parks, jet skis, snorkelling, and fishing which were all accessible from the beach on the resort, we didn’t have to go off the resort to fill every day of our week long trip up. Since our first trip we have already been back twice in the same year and we even brought friends with us under our Royal Elite membership. They got enjoy all the special perks of being a Royal Elite member. Our friends especially loved the variety of restaurants that we tried each night and the variety of buffet food available basically anytime we wanted food. There’s always snacks and treats around too for the kids. If you are travelling with kids make sure they try the Sandos slushy drink and the super man slushy. We are going back to Mexico again this October and will be trying the sister Sandos resort, Playacar, which we visited during our other trips for the day and thoroughly enjoyed as well.

  Aug 12, 2025
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  Family of 4 - DREAM HOLIDAY WITH EVERYTHING ON OFFER

  *Brit Family. *Dream Holiday Sandos caracol provided plenty of food choice as a family of 4. *Beach is stunning We did enjoy a variety of free activities, with kayaking in the sea being a highlight. T he resort’s large central area adds to its appeal, providing space for leisure and exploration. Hotel grounds are truly magical with lots of animals. As a family who previously has visited tenerfie and europe this resort was truly spectacular and worth every penny. The choices on offer for food , drinks especially with a husband who prefers larger this is perfect. We also brought our mother in law who prefers quiet spaces and nice spots during the day she enjoyed all aspects of the hotel. Id avoid any criticism of this resort if your looking for a family holiday with plenty to do x

  Aug 10, 2025
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  Decent stay

  We stayed at the hotel for 7 nights. I would describe it more as a 3-star hotel rather than a 5-star. Surprisingly, when I checked Google reviews, it had a 4.7 rating. During our stay, I realized how this rating is achieved. For example, the hotel offers some free activities, such as a 10-15 minute boat ride or swimming in the cenote. Employees provide QR codes for guests to rate their experience. Initially, I thought these codes were just for the activities themselves, but I later understood they apply to the entire resort. The hotel seems more suitable for families with kids rather than couples. It has a large territory, perfect for walking, with plenty of nature: monkeys, coatis, and birds. However, the adult area near the swimming pool often doesn’t look very presentable due to a lack of regular cleaning — it seems that cleaning is done roughly once every four days. Falling leaves and fruit from the trees can stay on the ground for days, creating an unpleasant smell over time. In the mornings before 8 a.m., a person with a loud blower machine starts cleaning the sunbeds by sweeping leaves onto the floor, which could be done more efficiently and eco-friendly with a brush. They could also clean bird droppings. What we liked: • The entertainment, especially yoga classes — fantastic! • The pool and aqua gym — very good. • Evening shows such as the white party, fire ceremony, MJ show, and circus — all amazing. • Beach club for adults with sunbeds and snacks -outstanding. • Free kayaks available. What we didn’t like: -Check-in can take up to 1.5 hours, with only two receptionists at the desk and long queues on a daily basis. -The Guest experience service was quite pushy, constantly trying to persuade us to join a tour that lasts at least 1.5 hours (likely longer). They attempted to sign us up for their Royal Elite Club, which offers a separate part of the resort, an infinity pool, upgraded rooms near the beach. You are getting a free dinner with lobster or a massage, if you do the tour, they say even if you do not sign up. While this might be a good option for some, we chose not to waste our time on it. However, we were repeatedly approached by representatives, received two - three calls to our room, and were asked to meet with guest services at specific times. Plus 2 times was left tags on the room door with same information, which felt too pushy. -The smoothies near the swimming pool were made with syrup, despite presenting as a fresh from fruits. For example, they added 1-2 strawberries and strawberry syrup. We understand it was made to save time; however, it was less healthy than expected. -The beach has many rocks and a very long, shallow shoreline, making walking in the water almost impossible. Not too many people are on the beach; most prefer to stay in the pools. Improvements needed: • The hotel requires refurbishment in many areas, as it looks dated. • The buffet layout is inconvenient — food is served in a single line, causing queues. Other hotels often arrange buffets in a square layout, making it easier to see and access food quickly. • The baking trays used for presenting food look old. • The food tends to be too oily overall, which may not suit everyone’s preferences, especially if you’re trying to avoid fried foods. Overall, the stay was decent, but some aspects could definitely be improved to enhance the guest experience.

  Aug 07, 2025