Playa Sonrisa

We care for my 94 year old dad who has dementia and other health problems and needed to take some time off to recharge our batteries. Playa Sonrisa turned out to be the perfect choice. We spent 9 relaxing days in a tropical paradise, having someone to clean our room, prepare our meals, drinking cold beer and laying around all day reading and napping. It was the perfect vacation. The resort looks exactly like the photos on the website. What you see is what you get. The resort is small and intimate. There are tons of places to lay or sit, both in the sun and in the shade. Most couples would spend time to themselves during the day (great way to reconnect with your partner) and would socialize at meals and happy hour. The resort was fully booked for a couple of days during our stay but never felt crowded in the least. No waking up before dawn to reserve a lounger, there were plenty to go around. Blaney and Steve are excellent hosts. Blaney arranged a fishing trip and massage on the beach for us. Both were excellent. We caught a couple of barracuda on the fishing trip and ate them for appetizers the next night at dinner. The barracuda bites were awesome! The food was great in general. Lobster was served a couple of nights. Steve’s Old Bay wings are amazing. Try the lion fish tacos. You’ll thank me later. My wife and I agreed that this was one of the best vacations we’ve ever had. We will definitely be returning again in the future.

I don't know what Jugendstrasse is talking about in their review as our experience was quite the opposite. The food was delicious EVERY night of our groups 5 night stay, every meal was freshly made, the coffee pod machine had pods available with different flavored creamers every morning, there was more than enough alcohol choices which didn't run out, (including gluten-free options when you let them know beforehand) and Blaney and Steve did an excellent job of hosting our group. They organized snorkeling, scuba diving, a band for dancing, movie night, a coconut opening demonstration, had a store with handmade local jewelry, gave everyone a personalized metal refillable container, provided the opportunity to purchase a personalized ornament, provided the opportunity to get a massage if desired, and a beautiful, well kept beach atmosphere with beds, loungers and chairs plentiful. Yes, the beach by the water did have seaweed in abundance, yet the maintenace guy was out there shoveling it up every morning, but keep in mind there's no "do not enter" sign for seaweed and plastics. They can't help what washes up on the beach or what floats in the water, it's a worldwide issue, so I don't think it's fair to complain about that. Yes, some of the rooms are less updated than others, but they're working on updating everything. Yes, the drive is long and bumpy, but again, that's not their fault as the town of Xcalak is small and poor and can't afford to have it paved.

Playa Sonrisa is a lovely place my partner and I felt lucky to enjoy. Do not be deterred by its remoteness. Renting a car in Tulum, we drove ourselves without any complication and really enjoyed the ride through the lush forests and across the broad marshes of the southern Yucatan.

Blaney and Steve are great hosts. They truly make you feel at home. The weather was great and the views really stunning. It is the perfect place to disconnect and just enjoy. The beach is spacious with sand at doesn’t stick and the sea temperature is quite warm. Breakfast is always included but there is a meal plan for lunch and dinner that I recommend to take.

Fifth visit here and already looking forward to our sixth one next year. Steve and Blaney have not long taken over but already have made a big impression and have certainly put their stamp on the place. A great atmosphere lovely food and an honesty bar all set in picture postcard surroundings what more could you need for a few days to completely relax sit back and chill out. Next year can't come quick enough for us we are already counting the days and as they say it's hard to get here but it's even harder to leave

Playa Sonrisa was the most beautiful and tranquil resort I have ever been to. Every minute, I felt like we were in the Garden of Eden. Waking up every morning to the sunrise over the water, swimming in the gulf, moonlit nights, a gentle breeze off of the gulf, made for an incredibly memorable experience. Our hosts, Steve and Blaney, could not have been more hospitable and helpful. The food was wonderful, as were the cocktails! Absolute perfection and so worth the drive.