Name: The Reef 28
Price range: from £982.20pp (7 nights includes flights and transfers)

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The Reef 28

We have been staying at the reef 28 this week, the service has been top notch, especially at the rooftop pool.  Francisco has taken care of us everyday on the rooftop and has been fantastic, he is attentive, friendly, and just outstanding.  Thank you

Fantastic Service

First day here. Francisco is killing it. We're never dry of alcohol. He is extremely friendly and outgoing. Really enjoying our time so far.  Looking forward to the rest of the time here in beautiful Playa del Carmen Reef 28. Come see Francisco for a great time!

Reef 28

My partner and I absolutely loved the reef 28. The staff were amazing and super nice. The Mexican restaurant, Italian restaurant, Japanese restaurant were all so good and really clean.  my partner, and I stayed in the rooftop as much as possible and took advantage of the all inclusive and it was worth it. We loved their burgers, guacamole, sushi, drinks. It’s in a perfect spot where it’s not too touristic and still local. The beach is like two blocks away and it’s super clean too. We had the pleasure of being served and taken care of by Angel and Javier at the front bar and they were so nice. Alberto in the front desk area was also very helpful & he offered us so many suggestions. Anel in the roof top was super attentive and so nice, we loved her. The overall staff in the resort were super nice and customer service was at 100%   We also paid $15 each to go to the Sister resort and we enjoy that too. The drinks were really well-made and the tequila was super smooth overall 10 out of 10 experience and we will definitely be coming back !

The best resort in playa

Reef 28 has some positives, but unfortunately, our overall experience was overshadowed by poor service, management issues, and questionable policies. On the bright side, the downstairs breakfast was excellent, with plenty of delicious options to suit various tastes. Standout servers like Rigoberto, Bruno, and Ivan were particularly friendly and attentive, providing a much-needed bright spot in an otherwise disappointing stay.

However, our experiences elsewhere in the resort left much to be desired. The rooftop service was especially bad. We repeatedly had to go to the bar ourselves to get drinks because the servers were inattentive. Food orders came out wrong, yet we still left a symbolic tip of 25 pesos despite the poor service.

The following day, a server shockingly confronted us while we were dining at a completely different restaurant in the resort. They interrogated us about the tip, asking whether it was pesos or USD, and then accused us with, “You’re going to tip ONLY a dollar?” This invasive and unprofessional behavior ruined what should have been a peaceful meal downstairs and frankly, our whole trip was soured from that moment. We reported the incident to Brenda from guest relations, but she did nothing to correct the situation.

On another occasion, we dined at the rooftop again, with a guest, and were informed there was a 500-peso minimum spend for them to join, which would be applied to the total since the rest of us had all-inclusive packages—totally fine. This seemed reasonable at first, but the service was disastrous. Some people at our table were served their meals, while others waited over 45 minutes, only to receive half of what they ordered. When we expressed our frustration, the waitress snapped back, claiming, “You ordered too much food at the table,” and mentioned limits to all-inclusive dining. No such policy was communicated to us. To make matters worse, the meals in question were simple tacos, guacamole, and a side of jalapeños. The server was defensive and unapologetic, leaving us feeling disrespected.

When we received the bill for our guest, items they didn’t order or eat were added. Instead of politely correcting the issue, the staff argued, claiming they had “watched them eat a chicken wing.” Our guest never touched a chicken wing, yet the staff insisted the charge would remain. This behavior was ridiculous and entirely unprofessional. Solved, by demanding they check and show us (him eating a chicken wing) the cameras which obviously didn’t happen. 

Adding to the frustrations, we ordered Don Julio tequila and were served bar rail tequila instead. Despite the clear taste and color difference, the staff denied it outright. This kind of trickery and dishonesty is unacceptable for a resort that markets itself as upscale.

The lack of lounge chairs at the rooftop pool was also highly inadequate. With only ten available for all guests, it was frustrating and felt competitive compared to other resorts in the area that have far better accommodations for relaxation.

Another frustration came from the concierge desk. On separate occasions, we requested change for $20 USD—whether in pesos or USD—for tipping purposes. They couldn’t even break a $20 bill. As Canadians, with the exchange rate currently 48% higher, it’s unreasonable to expect us to tip $10 or $20 USD for every meal, especially when the service is slow, unpleasant, and drinks are often switched without acknowledgment.

The resort also fails to align with eco-friendly practices. Drinks are served in Styrofoam cups, even for guests staying within the resort. Despite their policy of not allowing guests to take glassware away from the bar, the unnecessary use of Styrofoam is both wasteful and outdated. It’s disappointing to see such disregard for sustainability.

Finally, we were lured into a timeshare scheme with promises of “free wristbands and massages,” only to be subjected to a high-pressure sales pitch that wasted hours of our vacation. This deceptive bait-and-switch tactic added unnecessary stress and left us feeling misled. And we weren’t even allowed to use the wristbands on our last day, which wasn’t communicated to us either.

While the breakfast and a few exceptional staff members stood out, the aggressive tipping practices, inadequate facilities, dishonest service, poor environmental responsibility, and shady timeshare tactics make Reef 28 a place I cannot recommend. Until these issues are addressed, Reef 28 is far from a stress- and shame-free vacation destination.

Pass on the Reef 28

The Reef 28 was fun from day 1-5.  We visited their other locations OMG! You must good the beach the DJ the food I can go on an on. We flew to Mexico to Celebrate my son’s birthday. I never seen him so happy before.  The roof top was our favorite the food always something good to eat the concierge he was so accommodating the Spa Massages so relaxing and tranquility.  If you do a tour Xplore tour 7 zip lines I’m no longer afraid of heights we had so much fun my fiancé was scared of the zip line LoL an went back to the room.  Forgot to mention the drinks you name it the bartenders hooked you up was always making my favorite Alabama Slammer!!!

Best Birthday Surprise Ever! I took my young adult son to the Reef 28 for His Birthday, I never seen him so Happy!!!

This adults-only resort is minutes away from beautiful Mamita's Beach and Playa del Carmen's bustling 5th Avenue, a pedestrian street which runs parallel to the beach and offers an exciting array of restaurants, shops and street entertainment. Hotel guests can enjoy the contemporary cuisine, an upscale rooftop bar with evening DJs and a fantastic rooftop pool with sun terrace.

##### Accommodation at The Reef 28:

Spacious junior suites are air-conditioned with en-suite facilities and a balcony with a lounging area. Enjoy a range of amenities including TV, hairdryer, mini-bar (stocked daily), coffee machine, microwave, Bluetooth speaker, 24-hour room service and FREE Wi-Fi.

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The Reef 28

Accommodation at The Reef 28: