The Reef Playacar

★ 5 · Jeremy L. · 2026-03-22

I recently stayed at The Reef Playacar Resort & Spa for 6 nights (March 14–20, 2026) and booked a dive package through PADI Travel with the onsite shop, The Reef Marina. Overall, this was a really memorable trip with some incredible diving and standout staff. The resort itself is beautiful, relaxing, and very convenient for diving. Everything is walkable, and the all-inclusive setup made it easy to enjoy downtime between dives. What really made this trip special was the dive team. Anni (the dive shop manager) was absolutely fantastic—super responsive, kind, and went out of her way to make sure everything ran smoothly. When I had to stop diving due to ear pressure, she handled everything immediately and even came to personally walk me to my airport transfer at the end of the trip. All of the dive guides were excellent: - Manno (refresher course) was patient and helped me get comfortable again after a long break. - Lionel (cenote dives) delivered a truly unforgettable experience—professional, safe, and incredibly well-organized - Ivan (open water dives) was calm, knowledgeable, and handled rougher conditions like a pro The cenote dives were the highlight—easily one of the coolest diving experiences I’ve ever had. The open water dives (including a wreck and reef) were also great, with lots of marine life and beautiful scenery. A couple of things to be aware of: Gear quality: I had an issue with rental equipment (minor air leaks w/BCD and air hose on first stage reg), which was resolved after I spoke up. Boat access: There are no docks, so you’ll be walking/swimming out to the boats in full gear. Boats are on the smaller side, and on one dive we waited over 30 minutes on the surface in rough conditions. Not a dealbreaker at all. Overall: I had an amazing trip and would absolutely come back—especially for the cenote diving and the incredible staff. Just go in with clear expectations about the boat setup and you’ll have a great experience.

★ 5 · Andrew S. · 2022-01-11

The Reef Playacar is a wonderful resort. Nestled in the gated Playacar community, it feels safe and clean. The resort has a jungle-themed central core with tall trees, vines, and flowing streams. Rooms are comfortable and feel newly renovated. Staff is helpful and friendly. One downside is the food & drink: they try really hard at the buffet, but the food was so-so most of the time, and the drinks are small and artificially sweetened. Very little Mexican food at the buffet! Dive shop excellent, and the dives to a cenote and Cozumel were bucket list amazing!

★ 5 · ANDREA L. · 2020-12-01

Three days of diving with my daughter at this resort and I was very satisfied! Smaller resort, but the dive center was great! The Cenotes are a must!