Ave. 20 Norte Lote 33, Entre Calles 2 y 4 Norte, Playa del Carmen, Mexico | (251) 219-4428
A modern hotel with a traditional look
Close to Quinta Avenida and Main Beach
A variety of room sizes, from singles to quads
Most come with convenient kitchenettes
Stylish suites have sitting areas and spa baths
Onsite breakfast and meeting rooms
Tempting menus of activities and excursions
Car rental agency and free parking on-site
Vast discrepancy in room quality
Basic Rooms are, well, very basic
Few common areas to kick back in
Lots of extra costs, including breakfast
Free Wi-Fi offered in public areas only
Sprawling beachfront resorts are a dime a dozen on the Mayan Riviera, but if you’d prefer a smaller, more affordable urban option with no wristband required, this lower-middle-range colonial-style hotel near Quinta Avenida (aka 5th Avenue) is a practical choice. Centered around a pretty courtyard pool, its 60 rooms—most of which contain kitchenettes—tend to be spacious but sparse, with slick contemporary suites proving an exception to the rule. Facilities and services are in short supply, too, though the hotel does have breakfast and meeting rooms as well as a broad menu of add-on activities. Guests wanting more will find that this hopping beach town has plenty of other mid-range choices, including La Tortuga Hotel & Spa and the hidden-away Playa Maya, both of which are better suited to a soak-up-the-sun vacation.
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Scene
A modern midrange hotel with a vintage Spanish-colonial vibe
Built in 2008, the four-story Playa del Carmen Hotel has a classic Spanish-colonial design which lends it a sense of local character. The focal point is a traditional interior courtyard, which is anchored by a gracious pool and ringed with arched colonnades trimmed in brick. Rising up from this are tiers of guest rooms accessed by open corridors. Noise from the courtyard can rise up as well when the pool area is busy, but that's seldom the case—unless the tour groups that sometimes frequent the place have overtaken it. After all, guests here are usually on-a-budget beach bums or day trippers who like spending most of their time outside.
Location
In Centro, just minutes from Quinta Avenida and the beach
The Playa del Carmen Hotel is about a two-minute walk from the south end of Quinta Avenida, which runs parallel to the water and serves as this resort town’s beating heart (and retail epicenter). Reaching blissful Main Beach just takes a few minutes more on foot; ditto for popular Parque Fundadores, where you can watch Mayan dancers and Papantla flyers perform. As a result, guests will find lots to do in the immediate area. Moreover, Playa as a whole also makes an ideal base for day trips, whether that means taking in archeological marvels at Cobá and Chichén Itzá, natural wonders in the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve or more touristy delights at eco-parks like Xcaret and Xel-Há. Organized excursions to all can be booked through the hotel, as can rental cars for those who would rather explore independently. Transfers, via car or air-conditioned mini bus, can also be arranged for the 47-minute drive to and from Cancún International Airport.- Two-minute walk to Quinta Avenida
Rooms
A practical alternative for cost-conscious vacationers
Size-wise the property falls within “boutique hotel“ parameters, but no one would call the typical rooms here fashionable. Taking minimalism to the max, the least expensive of the lot (Basic Rooms) are barely furnished and, in terms of amenities, contain only air-conditioners or fans, TVs, and safes—the last of which are pay-for use. On the upside, Standard Rooms add convenient kitchenettes with mini-fridges, two-burner stovetops, and bar-style sinks; microwaves, coffeemakers, and dining sets take Comfort-class options up yet another notch. Style-infused Suites, on the other hand, are a whole different breed. In addition to a slick contemporary design, these boast sitting areas with colorful accents, upgraded kitchen facilities and vastly improved bathrooms with spa baths and chic vessel sinks instead of the utilitarian shower-only ones found elsewhere.
Features
Few features, reflecting the low rates
Compared to the region’s resorts, this hotel is clearly light on features. Instead of multiple restaurants, it offers only a sunny, street-view dining room where add-on breakfasts are served each morning; and, as opposed to up-to-the minute conference facilities or Instagram-able wedding venues, it has just one low-tech meeting room. Lounging areas are also hard to come by, even in the lobby and interior courtyard. That said the palm-fringed pool in the latter is lovely, and several tempting services—ranging from language and cooking classes to dive packages and day excursions—can be arranged at extra cost. Other perks include a 24-hour front desk with multilingual staff, laundry, and room service, plus free Wi-Fi service in the public areas.
