Reina Roja Hotel

At first glance, the Reina Roja Hotel looks like a typical boutique hotel, with its lush, vegetation-covered exterior framed by PVC piping and netting. Inside, the atmosphere in this adult-only property is much more party-focused; the lobby alone has a DJ booth, cages, lounge chairs, and even a pool, as well as constantly thumping music and fliers and posters on the walls detailing the numerous events the hotel has hosted since its inception in 2009. 

The Reina Roja is located just off Avenida Constituyentes in downtown Playa del Carmen, a couple of minutes' walk from Fifth Avenue and around 10 minutes from the beach on foot. There are hundreds of shops, restaurants, bars, plazas, and hotels in the immediate area. Cancun and Tulum are both about an hour away by car, while the Cancun International Airport takes about 50 minutes to reach by road.

The hotel has 63 rooms spread across three categories: 42 Deluxe Rooms with two queen-size beds or a king; 15 Junior Suites with king-size beds; and six Thematic Suites (also with king-size size beds). The color red dominates throughout the rooms, from the lighting to the upholstery. Furniture is predominantly wooden, and most units have large prints of models in bikinis spanning above the beds. Each of the themed suites has its own unique feel; for example, the Origins Suite has straw-and-thatch walls, while the After Hours suite has a disco ball, mirrored ceilings, and murals of partially nude people making out. Some rooms have balconies, but most have uninspiring views of other buildings. All the rooms have flat-screen TVs, in-room safes, minibars, and coffee- and tea-making facilities. Note that there have been complaints of unreliable Wi-Fi, and it's hard to get a good signal outside of the ground-floor rooms closest to the main lobby and reception. Bathrooms feature dark-gray tiling and walk-in showers plus hairdryers. Suites have slippers and robes.

Amenities at the Raina Roja are centered around partying and vacationing. La Querida Restaurant offers indoor and outdoor seating, and has its own bar. Free breakfasts are served every morning and the restaurant stays open late, but there's no room service. Other features include a small lounge pool in the lobby (the lobby also doubles as a dance floor), and another up on the rooftop that stretches the length of the building. Both are open 24 hours a day. There's also free parking in an underground on-site parking garage (with about 20 spaces) and Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel (though it's not always reliable). Bicycles are available for rent from the front desk.