Western Canadian travel advisor Karla Haygarth returned from a Sandos FAM trip in Cancun with property-by-property knowledge, a few unexpected monkey sightings, and the kind of firsthand confidence that turns a good recommendation into an unshakeable one.
At a Glance
Cancun's three Sandos resorts each serve different travelers: Playacar suits multigenerational groups with its scale and mixed amenities; Caracol appeals to younger families with its water park and cenotes but has a rocky beach; Cancun offers adults-only intimacy for couples. Direct flights from Western Canada and eco-conscious practices like in-room water dispensers enhance the destination's appeal.
Most people arrive at a Cancun resort expecting turquoise water, poolside drinks, and warm evening air. Karla Haygarth arrived and found monkeys. Not as a novelty act or a staged resort feature, but simply there, moving through the lush grounds of Sandos Caracol and Sandos Playacar as if they had always been part of the scenery. Because, of course, they have. It was exactly the kind of detail that no brochure prepares you for, and exactly the kind of detail that makes a travel advisor invaluable.
Haygarth, a travel advisor with TravelOnly based in Western Canada, attended a FAM trip last June hosted by Sandos Resorts. Over the course of the trip, she stayed at all three of the brand's Cancun properties, a comparative experience that most travelers never have and most advisors rarely get. The trip was organized by Emily, the group's BDM and host, whose enthusiasm set the tone from the start. Haygarth describes the experience warmly, noting that Emily "truly was very engaging and made this trip the best she could." The result was not just a memorable holiday, but a professional education with a Caribbean backdrop.
Three Resorts, One Clear Picture
The ability to walk the grounds, sleep in the rooms, and eat at the restaurants of all three Sandos properties gave Haygarth something rare: honest, comparative knowledge. Each resort serves a different traveler, and understanding those distinctions is precisely what her clients need.
Sandos Playacar was the property that left the deepest impression. Haygarth notes that the resort's scale is part of its appeal, explaining that "the size of the resort was quite large and it had a little bit of everything for all travelers. The families had a great area and the adult only had their own area and the beach was amazing and had spots for everyone." It is the kind of resort that absorbs a crowd without ever feeling crowded, making it the strongest option for multigenerational groups or travel parties with mixed needs.
Sandos Caracol, by contrast, is a property built with younger families in mind. Its water park is a genuine draw, and the cenotes on the grounds offer something no manufactured resort attraction can replicate. Floating through natural cave formations, watching light filter through ancient limestone, is an experience that stays with a traveler long after the tan fades. Haygarth describes it as "a great experience for anyone to float and check out the natural caves that have been formed." She does, however, offer one honest caveat that only an advisor who has actually been there would think to share: the beach at Sandos Caracol is rocky underfoot. The sand is white and the setting is beautiful, but guests who prioritize long stretches of smooth shoreline for swimming should know this before they book.
For couples seeking something more intimate, Sandos Cancun, situated in the hotel zone, delivers a quieter, more refined atmosphere. Smaller in scale and adults-only in spirit, it is a natural fit for honeymoons, anniversaries, or any trip designed around romance rather than family logistics.
Cancun Beyond the Pool Deck
No visit to this stretch of the Mexican Caribbean is complete without venturing beyond the resort gates, and Haygarth made the most of every opportunity. A day at Xcaret Park was a highlight she describes with characteristic directness: "what a great time we had." It is an unscripted moment of pure enjoyment, the kind of endorsement that carries more weight than any polished review, because it is simply true.
Back at the resorts, the evenings brought their own rewards. Mexican markets, evening cultural shows, and dining programs spanning a wide variety of cuisines gave the experience texture and depth. The food and drinks across all three properties drew consistent praise, with Haygarth noting the quality and variety at every turn.
She was also pleasantly struck by the eco-conscious practices woven into the Sandos experience. Every room across the properties is equipped with its own water dispenser, allowing guests to refill personal bottles throughout their stay, a small but meaningful gesture toward reducing the environmental impact of high-volume tourism. In a destination that welcomes millions of visitors each year, that kind of stewardship matters.
A Destination That Has Grown Up
For Haygarth, the Cancun of today is not the Cancun of popular assumption. The infrastructure has expanded significantly, the airport is large and immaculately maintained, and the overall impression is of a destination that has matured into exactly what the numbers suggest. As she puts it, Cancun "has really grown into a number one destination for many people." For advisors working with clients who may still carry outdated impressions of the region, that framing matters.
From Western Canada, direct flight access to Cancun is a genuine asset. Haygarth is clear-eyed about the routing realities her clients face, and she values a destination that delivers strong direct options. Cancun, she says, is consistently one of her most-booked destinations precisely because it is so reliably accessible and so reliably rewarding.
The Confidence That Comes From Being There
There is a difference between knowing about a resort and knowing a resort. Haygarth now knows the Sandos properties the way a local knows a neighborhood. She has walked the paths where the monkeys roam, floated through the cenote caves, lingered at the Mexican market stalls, and settled into the rooms that she now recommends by name. "I have had the opportunity to book the Sandos to many clients and have the confidence now," she says. "I enjoy it very much and enjoy sharing my experience with the many people."
That confidence is not a sales pitch. It is the natural result of firsthand experience, of trusting the advice you give because you lived it yourself. When a client asks Haygarth which Sandos resort is right for their family, she does not consult a fact sheet. She pictures the grounds, the beach, the kids club with its petting zoo, the free-roaming monkeys that surprise even the most seasoned traveler, and she knows.
As for what comes next, Haygarth is already looking ahead with the same open curiosity that defines her approach to travel. A Princess Cruise to Alaska is on the horizon, with stops in Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway, and visits to Anchorage and the wilderness lodges she has yet to explore. For a travel professional whose greatest asset is the depth of her own experience, the journey is never really finished. It just moves to the next destination.
