Fraccion 2A, Xcalacoco, Playa del Carmen, Mexico | (586) 210-9239
Secluded beachfront location 15 minutes north of central
Playa del Carmen
Comfortable (if dim) rooms with upscale rustic decor, king
beds, and large flat-screens
Some rooms have private plunge pools, full kitchens, or
large terraces
Geometric-shaped infinity pool with wooden deck, dining
area, and sun loungers
A la carte restaurant with outstanding gourmet dishes, cooking classes,
and walk-in wine refrigerator
Lounge-like sports bar, bar by the beach and pool, and
room service
Small massage treatment area, kids' club, and business center
Lack of daily activities (con for some) to help aid in
relaxation quotient
Free welcome juice drink upon arrival
Fee for Wi-Fi
Fee for breakfast (unless you have purchased a meal plan)
Expensive taxi rides into central Playa del Carmen
No staff supervision or activities at kids' club
Right off the beach in a secluded area 15 minutes north of Playa del Carmen’s center, the 23-room Le Reve Hotel & Spa has an instantly relaxing vibe well-suited to couples and honeymooners. The boutique hotel's interiors are upscale and stylish after a 2014 makeover. Rooms have lots of special elements ranging from hand-painted tiles to plunge pools, though dim lighting can be a downside -- as can the price of cabs to and from Playa proper. However, positive features include the (unsupervised) kids' club, pool bar, massage area, classy sports bar, and impressive gourmet restaurant menu.
Scene
A stylish, peaceful boutique best-suited to couples
Le Reve, meaning “the dream” in French, strives to be the
antithesis of the party-oriented hotels in central Playa del Carmen. Anyone
in search of a beautiful, secluded beachside spot will likely be very pleased with Le Reve -- especially after the hotel’s overhaul in 2014. Only hotels outside of central Playa can feel this spacious, and Le Reve feels
much larger than its 23 rooms would suggest. Originally a rather
rustic spot along a quiet beach, Le Reve has switched gears and transformed
into a romantic, upscale joint with beachfront villas featuring private plungepools, a gourmet restaurant with a refrigerated walk-in wine fridge (you’ll definitely want to opt for one of the meal plans), and
an infinity pool that truly seems to disappear into the ocean. Because of the hotel's remote location and purposeful
lack of social activities, it’s best suited to couples, small families, or solo travelers looking to unplug. Those
looking for planned daily activities closer to central
Playa might want to check out sleepy Playacar’s Sunset Fisherman -- though
its rooms and food are lower quality.
Location
Secluded location on a side road 15 minutes north of central Playa
Located
a few miles off the main highway via an uneventful, twisty dirt road, Le Reve is kind of “out there” by Playa del Carmen standards. Its secluded location
contributes to both a truly relaxing environment and a sense of being marooned on the property. There is nothing accessible beyond the entrance of the hotel, so if
you want to experience nightlife or the buzz of central Playa’s
shops, restaurants, and bars, it’ll cost you hefty cab fare. Cancun
Airport is about a 30-minute drive north up Highway 307, while the snorkeling
waters of Akumal and Tulum’s beachside ruins are a 45-minute and hour-long
drive south, respectively.
Rooms
Chic, airy rooms, all with outdoor space and some with ocean views
Le Reve only has 23 rooms, but the handful of categories gives guests plenty of choice. Options include palapa-topped
Beachfront Swim-Up Villas, Garden View Rooms, and rustic-luxe Ocean View Master Suites
with lengthy wooden terraces; the hotel plans to expand further and will start adding
studio, one-, and two-bedroom options in mid-2015. All of the rooms have a contemporary style incorporating dark woods and white walls; most have shiny tile floors, but some have wood floors or thatched roofs that contribute to an appealingly rustic feel. Most also have hand-painted tile accent walls. Each category has something different going for it, making it quite difficult to choose; the Villas have private
plunge pools and uninterrupted ocean views; the Private Garden Rooms have relaxing
hammocks and (as the name suggests) private gardens; and the Master Suites have large open-plan bathrooms. The forthcoming rooms also have special perks: studios are the only spots in the hotel
with two beds, while the one- and two-bedroom units have tubs and kitchens. All of the new rooms lose the rustic vibe in favor
of a more cushy, modern look.
Beach
Powder-sand beach that could use a few more loungers
Being far from the crowded throngs of people
in central Playa has its advantages, especially when it comes to the beach.
While there isn’t an abundance of lounge chairs on Le Reve’s beach, there is
plenty of space to go around; you won’t have to duck under hoards of umbrellas
or step over bodies sunbathing on towels here. Instead, there's a quiet stretch of
soft sand with the occasional palm tree, a few spots to sit or lounge, and a
panoramic view of the water. Even at full capacity, the tranquility of the
beach here is unmatched in town, so you can soak up the sun
without all the noise pollution.
Pool
Small geometric-shaped infinity pool with ocean views
In addition to its beachfront
location and delicious food menus, this little boutique has also got a zig-zagging
pool painted to perfectly match the dark and light blue colors of the sea. From
the right angle, there’s a truly seamless transition from pool water to
seawater. The infinity pool is flanked on one side by a wooden deck with tables
and chairs, a shady almond tree, and a few well-constructed and cushioned wood
loungers.
All-Inclusive / Food
Stunning gourmet a la carte restaurant, casual snack bar, and room service
One of Le Reve’s top features is indisputably MerlotRestaurant and Bar -- helmed by the talented Chef Mario, who has been with the hotel
since around 2009. Serving a la carte breakfast, lunch, and dinner,
Merlot’s international gourmet menus -- from tortilla soup, to escargot, to
fresh grilled lobster -- are unexpectedly superb. In fact, many people change
from the non-inclusive European meal plans to all-inclusive plan after their
first meal at Merlot. Guests will be hard-pressed to find such consistent,
high-quality international dining anywhere else in the area. Add to that a
walk-in, temperature-controlled wine refrigerator with varietals from around
the globe, and it’s quite near a foodie’s heaven. The kitchen is happy to prepare
off-menu items and cater to special dietary requirements; guests can also expect weekly themed meals which help provide additional variety for longer-term all-inclusive
guests. If you are
craving more casual bites, you can hit up the beachside Snack Bar out by the
pool for American-style pub dishes (and the occasional Mexican snack like
nachos), or order in with room service.
Drinks
Classy, casual sports bar and breezy poolside beach bar
Toward the back of Merlot Restaurant, there’s a lounge-like sports bar with a few swanky leather bucket seats, smooth black bar, live lobster
tank, and couple of flat-screen TVs. During big
games, space may be limited, though nearby dining tables and chairs are an
option. If this isn’t your scene or you’d rather be outdoors, there’s another
full bar between the pool and the beach. Here, you can grab a cocktail, beer,
or soft drink to sip on the beach, by the pool, on the pool terrace, or atop
one of the four barstools.
Features
Massage area, unsupervised kids' club, several fun and tasty extras, and (for a fee) Wi-Fi
From the SnackBar, a walk down the Wedding Walk of Fame (a stone walkway featuring stones engraved with the names of lovers who exchanged vows on the property) will bring you to the kids' club. The room has a foam-padded floor and is stocked with game consoles, a mini-foosball table, and board games, but unfortunately it relies on parental-only
supervision. Babysitting is available for a fee. While
the hotel bills itself as a resort and spa, there’s no actual spa on-site -- only
a small space with two massage tables. All treatments are by request, cost
extra, and can also be taken in your room, on your terrace, or out on the beach.
Other fee services include tequila tastings, local tours (but the concierge
service is on the house), and even for those on the all-inclusive plan, select premium wines and spirits. After the 2014 renovations and updates, a variety of free services were added
including evening turndown service with cookies or chocolates, free
cooking classes (if you want to learn how to make ceviche and other Mexican
dishes) from Chef Mario himself, and a
business center for guests. Unfortunately,
Wi-Fi is not free and transportation to and from central Playa delCarmen is nonexistent. Guests who want to leave the grounds must rely on
fairly expensive cabs. If you are driving yourself, be aware that the hotel’s free parking spaces fill up quickly.