Written Review
"So great I bought a timeshare!!!!"
I just fell in love with it here!! The beach was extraordinary. The biggest pool with two pool bars I'd ever seen. An extremely long 5 lane lap pool and a kiddie pool. We had the all inclusive deal . It was great.Good food, the drinks kept coming and an unbelievable wait staff. A first class spa . Try the hot rocks massage!! 90 minutes of pure pleasure. Everyone was helpful and friendly. The place was immaculate. I have nothing negative to say about the Royal Sands. They are all about customer satisfaction.
"We Come Here Every Year"
We are owners at this timeshare resort and come here every year and don't trade it for other resorts. Every room has an ocean view although not ocean front. The resort is lovely, the suites are outfitted well for those who want to cook for themselves and the furnished terraces are great for when you have had enough sun but still want to be outside. They offer a free shuttle to the sister resorts of The Royal Caribbean and Royal Islander and The Royal Cancun as well as Captain's Cove restaurant. We enjoyed discounts at nearby restaurants with our room card. This is a good location for walking to Luxury Avenue and several restaurants.
"March 16 thru 21 with owners of timeshare as guests. did take advantage of all inclusive"
Very much enjoyed our stay with owners of timeshare as their guests and did pay for all inclusive feature. Beautiful resort, clean, friendly and easy to get around. Eduardo was our waiter every morning at breakfast and also later in afternoon for margaritas and he was a fantastic human being.!! Great at his job and at life. Only complaint would be signing tickets for services...other all inclusive resorts we have stayed there was no signing tickets and giving room numbers but because of the clientele , some choosing not to have all inclusive , an armband was not enough to verify your status. Food was wonderful with plenty of choices. Did not utilize room service during our stay. Would recommend this resort.
"Pleased with week 12 (March 2015)"
I always take time to reflect upon my return to the states after my stay at the Royal Sands. Being an owner for approximately 15 years, I have witnessed firsthand the economic impact to the Royal Resorts and the efforts by management to deal with the evolution of the travel industry in Cancun and the surrounding area.
The last couple years (March 2013 & 2014 week 12) I had serious concerns with the resort and posted as such on many of the web sites. I also traveled to the Sands this past December 2014 and posted that I saw improvements, but I would hold out until I get to this March before I confirm that I see improvements.
I am happy to say that I was pleased with my stay and I will offer more details. I will also say that there are still many areas that I see opportunities and will likely need to learn to live with. I firmly believe that there is still a lot to be done to demonstrate a benefit of ownership (benefit/cost of ownership versus non owner staying at the royals).
Check in experience was quick and we saw no hassles. I always pre-register and find this to help expedite the whole check in process. Our maid Guadeloupe has been there for several years and does a super job at keeping our room clean and working around our schedule when we are in and out of the room. Drink and food service at the pool and beach was very good. Other than maybe an isolated situation, wait times were reasonable. Sisal Haciendas was good as always (It should be noted that this restaurant does a good job at getting you in and out pretty quickly, so if you are looking for a relaxing, take your time meal, not necessarily the place for you). La Veranda is the high school cafeteria of the resort. The noise level is way too loud and seems to be the place that caters to the all-inclusive program with the routine buffet and all you can eat menus. I didnt spend too much time at the sports bar due to the large number of Wisconsin fans (LOL!). We had pizza and salad delivered to the room one night and a bucket of chicken with some of the fixings one night. Pizza was really good. Chicken was good. Mashed potatoes did nothing for me. My spouse took advantage of the spa and got a facial and worked out in the fitness center once. No issues with the service and programs there. We always use the laundry service mid-week and this was a quick and no hassle process.
A lot of seaweed noted in the ocean and washing up on shore. Crew was out every morning keeping up with it to keep the beach clear for the most part. We noted a crew walking the beach every morning picking up trash. Clearly a lot of effort is being put forth to maintain cleanliness.
"Amazing"
This was our first stay at the Sands although we have stayed at other Royal Resorts. The service, cleanliness, grounds, and food are amazing. We ate at several wonderful Royal restaurants including Captain's Cove and El Conquisdator. (We did tip in addition to the all inclusive because the service was superior). Ask for Gabriel at the main pool bar and Manuel at the El Conquisdator. We had a 2 bedroom with a large balcony allowing plenty of space for our family, and views of the ocean. Martha was our daily housekeeper who did an amazing job keeping the villa clean and stocked with amenities. Overall, a great family vacation at a beach front resort designed for families.
"Pretty good overall"
Like you, we read many reviews before our vacation at this resort. This was our 4th trip to a Cancun all-inclusive but our first time with kids and our first time at this resort. Overall, we were satisfied with this resort. The kids had a blast and many wonderful memories were made. The main pool is huge. Like several hundred people can comfortably swim at the same time. It's also very clean even though we didn't smell any chlorine (not sure how they pulled that off).
-You can use floaties brought from home or pool noodles provided in the activities center in the pool. Huge bonus since the pool depth is a consistent 4 or 4.5 feet throughout (except in the small section for toddlers) and my kids had a hard time standing.
-The pool is heated. This is a big deal since it is usually pretty windy in Cancun and, believe it or not, you can get chilled if the sun is behind a cloud and you're in unheated water.
-Three swim up bars. Pretty cool for adults.
-Very, very clean. As many have mentioned, the hotel decorations are outdated. Who cares as long as everything is spotless and working flawlessly! Our room was cleaned perfectly every day.
-The ability to easily order food poolside was very nice. Many resorts have this but mostly as an exception. Seems like everyone was doing this here and it was nice to not have to dry the kids off and walk to the buffet restaurant mid-day.
-Poolside and room service food was actually pretty decent. The buffalo wings were a nice surprise. Kids ordered hotdogs and cheeseburgers every day. The nachos, shrimp or fish tacos, and club sandwiches were really good.
-Wifi. It's awesome! Very strong, quick signal in your room, weak but still works elsewhere in the resort.
-Room size. For a family of four, the one bedroom suite was a perfect size for us. The balcony was absolutely ginormous.
"Great Beach Resort"
I love this resort! The beach is beautiful with its white sand and turquoise waters. The workers at the resort are by far the friendliest I have encountered. The food is delicious and the water safe to drink. They have the best breakfast buffet with many items to choose from and don't miss the made to order area. The evening buffets were delicious with great salad buffet on the BBQ night. The corn soup made me go for 2nds. Authentic Mexican restaurant was very good and I loved the Mexican group that sang and played at every table. The suites are comfortable and huge by comparison to many others. The balcony of the suite is very large and has comfortable furniture. This resort has gone all-inclusive but you may be able to rent an owner owned unit if you go to for rent by owner. If you rent from owner you do not have to choose the all inclusive option. My daughter is an owner and I traveled this year with 2 friends. We came in under budget with each of spending around 250.00 for food and drinks for 8 days and 7 nights. I have also found this to be true in past years. There is a market on site for food and drinks to fix in your room or you can purchase with you room key anything your heart desires. We chose to eat most of our meals in the restaurants and still did not reach the amount we would have spent for the all inclusive. The exchange rate changes all the time so if you want to pay on your bill when the rate is high that might be a good idea. We waited until check out and the rate dropped so we ended up paying a little more that if we had paid when the rate was a little higher. You never know when it will change. The difference was about 10.00, I never get tired of this resort because the view is breathtaking and the beach is beautiful.
"Amazing!!!"
We were so impressed with this resort for our week stay in early March. There were 5 adults and 3 children from snowy MN and we had the most relaxing time. Grandpa, grandma, the 13, 12 and 9 year old's, moms and dad all found something to enjoy. The grounds were beautiful and kept up immaculately.
The La Veranda was the only restaurant on site aside from room service and swim up grill but the variety was great (a new theme each night) and was hot and fresh. Service was impeccable. Mario had our drinks waiting at the table for us when we came down for breakfast each morning! We tried the LaHacienda, which is included in the all-inclusive, and we weren't impressed. We also went to Captain's Cove and that was very good and entertaining as we set on the deck and there was a crocodile sitting perched directly below us.
Housekeeping was attentive. We even had turn down service in the evening complete with chocolate candies left on the pillows. My family of 4 was in a suite and had the larger patio. We spent every evening out there with the larger group listening the ocean and watching the moon rise over the water.
The pool and oceanside waiters did their best to serve you quickly, too. They got backed up over the lunch hour but really were hustling. They learned your names and your drink of choice and really upped the value of your stay. Tipping is not necessary for great service but definitely helped. We usually tipped $1-2 each round at the pool, $3-5 for brunch and $5-7 for dinner.
To reserve spots around the pool deck for 8 of us, we needed to be down there by 7:30AM. I heard it's even earlier for loungers on the beach. Just throw your towels over the chair and go and eat. There are signs indicating that "saving" chairs was prohibited but everyone did it and no one removed them.
There were locals selling things on the beach at great deals. The little girls had their hair braided, mom's bought swimsuit cover-ups and we even bought tickets to Xel-Ha. It was the best deal we found. A local named "Roberto" sold them and it was totally legit. On the beach, all prices are negotiable. We paid a $10 per person reservation fee and he gave us a slip of paper to give to parking attendant on day of excursion. They were about twenty minutes late but picked us up on an air conditioned coach bus, picked up a few others and then headed toward downtown to get tickets. More people met up with us there and we were on our way.
"The real deal"
Stayed 5 nights at this resort, and it was perfect for our family of 4 adults and 2 kids. 2 bedroom unit was super clean and had a fabulous view. Restaurants, pool and spa were wonderful. Don't hesitate to stay here. Friend recommended we stay there and he was ever so right about its perfection. Will go back next spring break or in the fall.
"Great resort"
We spent 4 nights for spring break with my college freshman and her friends. We upgraded girl's room to accommodate for3 girls. When we checked in our rooms weren't together. They changed it for us without an issue and gave us adjoined rooms. Rooms were big and clean with great views. Stocked with water and sodas. Staff very friendly,food was good not great. My only complaints were lack of adult entertainment- bars closed by midnight and it was hard to get chairs at beach and pool. I got up at 6 am one morning and all front row beach chairs were already saved. Beautiful grounds, pool and beach. Great vacation.
"Clean, spacious condos on the ocean"
If you are looking for a clean, spacious condo on the ocean, this is the one! The rooms are large, lots of closet space.Full kitchen and beautiful balconies. The pools are large and clean.. If you have children or grandchildren, a very nice large baby pool area. plenty of shade available. What is nice about this location, is that you can walk to many very good restaurants. Also a big shopping mall a block away that now has a full supermarket, if you do not want to shop in the facility. We really enjoy all the people that work there very friendly . The only thing that may make some people not want to stay, is the place "closes" up at 9 pm it's really a quiet family atmosphere.
"Amazing hotel"
We received a room with a balcony that had a super view! All inclusive is definitely worth it, since you get to eat inside and also outside of the hotel. Swimming pool was great with a mini bar in the middle. Had the greatest experience!
The only negative is that wifi is pretty slow and some of the staff were not so kind. I know that they feel tired of long hours of work, but when you are at work, you have to treat your customers the right way.
There are so many activities to do in Cancun, but consider other options as well, because some activities that are offered by the hotel is a bit overpriced.
"Super vacation at the Royal Sands!"
We spent a week at this resort 2/28-3/7. We rented through Expedia, the one bedroom suite. It was perfect for us even if it was just the 2 of us. We love having more space than just a hotell room and this was it. When you rent through sites like Expedia, you don't know which unit you are getting, even though all have some kind of ocean view. We ended up with a most amazing unit. It was on the 2nd floor in Phase II totally facing the ocean. Just an amazing view. We have stayed at the Royal Sands twice before, renting from an owner and just fell in love with it. The unit was spotless with maid service every day if you wanted. The king bed was super comfortable. I think the furniture, like everyone says, is somewhat outdated but I didn't pay much attention to any of that. It just didn't matter. It was clean and functional. The unit we were in had it's own personal wifi so when we had to put in their code to use the internet in the room. But you only had to do that once. It worked super. The Resort wifi was also good outside except it didn't work so well when we wanted to play streaming music from our ipad. The staff here is superb. Everyone was super friendly and always doing something. We never had to wait for anything. This was all inclusive unlike the other 2 times we were there. I like the all inclusive a lot. We liked being able to go to Captains Cove as part of the AI. Great food. We also went to Hacienda Sisal and have to say this was the best! They had the best margaritas of this whole trip. The La Veranda buffets were also very good! We ordered in pizza one night because we were tired and didn't feel lilke going out for dinner. We also ordered room service the night before we had to leave so we could pack up since our van was picking us up at 9 am. Room service was awesome. Great food and always fresh and hot! Our concierge was Elsa. She was the sweetest person ever and very, very helpful. We feel bad because we missed one dinner we reserved even though we didn't realize we reserved that dinner. We thought we had to call ourselves the day we wanted to go but I guess not. Sorry Elsa! We visited the Sidelines sports bar one afternoon for a couple of drinks. Nice place. All in all, this was a very relaxed vacation. The weather was perfect every day but on the windy side, as it usually is. I am going to try very hard to get this same unit, if I can for next year. You just can't beat the beaches in Cancun. Just stunning. I highly recommend Royal Sands. We will be back!
"Paradise & Security All in One!"
I have stayed at various hotels and resorts throughout in Mexico and NONE compare to The Royal Sands Resort & Spa. All inclusive gives you many meal selections, Room Service, Beach & Pool service, and snacks like Pizza, Sushi, Fried Chicken and much more! The ambiance is classy, yet family friendly. Tour options to explore Cancun and its many attractions are available in the Resort. AND for those party goers, You must visit Coco Bongo VIP - better than a Vegas show where you can dance like no one's watching! At the resort you have huge pools with two swim up bars, and just a few steps from the a lounge chaise on the cleanest beaches in Cancun. Dip into the Turquoise clear waters or Sky Dive above them! This Hotel is definitely the place for a Honeymoon, Destination Wedding, Girls Get together, or fun for the whole family! I know We've been coming here every year since 2000!
"Gorgeous Property with Friendly Staff"
We had a great stay at the Royal Sands. The property & staff were fabulous. Extremely clean & well maintained. We stayed with my 3 kids, (8, 6, & 6 months) and they loved it as well. They have a kids center that offered various activities for my older 2 to do. (Some of them do cost extra). The resort has a ceramics area near the main pool that was great. They have a variety of pieces to choose from (they range in price pending size). You paint them and than the workers "finish them" by adding little extras that make your pieces turn out as fabulous souvenirs.
We had a 2 bedroom/ 2 bathroom suite which fit my family fabulously. The rooms were large with tv's & dvd players in each one. The best part of the room was the balcony. It was large & had amazing views of both the pool and the ocean. We stayed on both the 6th floor and the 2nd. Both views were great and we enjoyed many meals from room service while watching the sunrise and set.
"Great time"
Just returned from the Royal Sands. We were fortunate to check-in in lobby 2 and were the only people checking in. Santos was so helpful and he seemed to really enjoy his job.
We had a beachfront one bedroom suite on the 7th floor with a large balcony with a table and chairs for 4 and 2 nice chairs and table. The view is to die for. The suite is very large and the kitchen has everything you would need. We never had to show our room key, just sign the bill with a zero balance. The staff always has a smile and a friendly greeting. I would highly recommend the Royal Sands Resort.
"A very enjoyable stay with a great spa"
We stayed for a week in an oceanview apartment. Like its sister, the Royal Haciendas in Playacar, the Sands has great service, great spa, nicely serviced beach and pool areas and good facilities. No, it is not ultra lux or trendy- but the price is reasonable and offers great value. Compared to RH: pros - beachwalking is much, much better, food and bar drinks are better, lap pool is bigger, transportation is more convenient and there is a fun shopping mall down the block. cons - the apartment is a bit smaller, bathroom not as nice, spa and gym less convenient. RH is a bit smaller, cozier and the landscaping is more lush. Both hotels have surprisingly good room service - the fish fajitas, the chicken lime soup, desserts - really quite good. And both spas are outstanding - one of the best hot tubs I have been in.
"Relaxing week at Royal Sands"
We just returned from an relaxing warm vacation in Cancun. We stayed at the Royal Sands resort and Spa. It can be all inclusive, but we opted to do our own thing. There were 6 of us in a spacious villa that had 2 bedrooms ; one master and one with 2 double beds. There were two bathrooms with connecting dressing area and vanities, two large closets, living area with two Murphy beds, and a adequately stocked kitchen with dining areas, inside and out. We had maid service everyday. They have a great restaurant on the grounds with not to be missed ceviche ! The pool and beach area are well maintained and and have excellent bar and light dining options service. The waiters are excellent and attentive . We all loved our beach and pool time! Relaxing and quiet! Very respectful vacationers here! No loud spring breakers. The kids played tennis and I worked out in there well maintained fitness area. There are great restaurants and shopping within walking distance! We loved it and look forward to our next visit! Use the Thomas More services for airport transfers and excursions. They have a place right in the hotel to take care of your plans. Professional and extremely efficient!
"Great Stay in Cancun"
We were there for kiteboarding lessons out of Isla Blanca. Royal Sands was clean and very comfortable. We ate at the local restaurants most of the time and once at the hotel. The food is good all over. I would stay again if given a choice.
"A great resort. A great value."
A wonderful resort. Great food. Great service. Lovely pools. Beautiful beach. The waiters are accommodating. The camaristas take very good care of the rooms. The design of the building is great. Each room has its own WiFi. A good selection of television channels, both English and Spanish.
"Wonderful vacation"
We are Royal Resorts owners but this was our first time to The Royal Sands. While we were in a lock-off, I found that the room had plenty of room for the two of us, and the mini-fridge, microwave and plates/utensils came in handy. It would have been nice to have a sink but the daily housekeeper ensured we had clean utensils each day. We were in an oceanfront unit and I loved being able to watch the sunrise and hear the waves on the beach each morning. As owners, we did not opt for the All-Inclusive but ate on site for most lunches and would have dinner in town or order room service. Loved the beach.The spa was spacious and spotless. The two massages I received were excellent and I felt very relaxed by the end of the trip, even though I spent several hours working each day. I have already booked my next trip this spring and cannot wait to return. A few days we were there very breezy and cool (especially since it was party cloudy) so I was glad to have long sleeves and a pair of jeans for the evenings.
"Annual Cancun vacation"
I've owned a time share at the Royal Sands in Cancun for 15 years. I love coming back "home" every year. The people who work here are always fantastic. We always go into Cancun the first day to Sam's Club or Costco for food and beverages to stock the kitchen. The public bus is easy to take for shopping at La Isla or to Market 28. There were 7 of us so we hired a van for a day to go to Tulum and Akumal for snorkeling - one of the best days even though the weather wasn't great. If you're lucky, you may be able to release baby turtles late in the evening in the fall. Always felt safe, but we were always careful. Highly recommend the Royal Sands!
"7 days in March"
Stayed 6 nights in a suite with another couple end of February. The resort is well maintained, clean and the food was very good with a good selection in the buffet. Everything was fresh. A good mix of American and Mexican cuisine. Staff was incredible and friendly. Room was cleaned everyday. Went to several sister resorts for meals, all excellent. Pool is heated and staff at swim up bar were fast and courteous. No problem getting loungers on the beach or pool area. Location is convenient to all attractions. Took a day trip to Isla de Mujeres , rented a golf cart and toured the island, went to a private beach that had 2 pools, soaking pool, restaurant and changing rooms.
It was a fun day. Resort has free kyacks, sunfish sailboats with drinks and food at the dock.
I would highly recommend this resort. I have nothing bad to say about anything! We stayed in phase 2 which had less activity and kids than phase 1. All the children were well behaved.
"Consistently good. Great location."
This is our fifth time at the Royal Sands, and the standard is still fantastic. This time we stayed a week in a rental from an owner and five days as an all-inclusive guest. This gave us a good chance to compare, and to be honest, we enjoyed both. The full villa is spacious, clean and comfortable, and very well maintained. We appreciate the shuttle service between the Royal resorts and the pools and beach are fabulous. We also like being able to walk easily to the nearby shopping centres;Royal Sands great advantage is its location. Most of all we will keep coming back for the great tennis coach, Nacho.
"NICE"
Yes this is a time share and yes they rent villas , this resort has plenty to do , the Villas are being updated . This resort was built in 2000 and maintained . Family fun abounds here if your looking for a place to raise havoc and drink ! Don't Bother showing up here !! Ownership will not tolerate it . So while most other resorts on the strip cater to spring breakers this one does not .. Enjoy a place that's both safe and enjoyable . Previously the property of the presidential Palace of Mexico . The beach is the best in the hotel zone .
"Stll returning for the great experience."
We own a ground floor, ocean-front unit which we enjoy so much that we've been using it every President's Week for 16 years, rather than renting it out. The Royal Sands is still a super clean resort with very friendly service and many included amenities and activities. It has become busier than in the past, which we attribute to its becoming all-inclusive and therefore a more attractive value. We do not choose all-inclusive because we like to dine at a larger choice of restaurants not necessarily affiliated with the Royal Resorts, even though they are very good. We like to explore many dining options because Cancun restaurants are a great attraction for us. They keep getting better and more varied. The services and amenities at the Sands are just as good as always and the ocean doesn't change, so we will return again and again.