Sunset Fishermen Beach Resort

The peaceful, relaxing Sunset Fisherman is the antithesis to the all-day swarm of roaming tourists and all-night thumping of clubs of central Playa del Carmen. Instead of being surrounded by endless storefronts, open-air bars, and restaurants, this large boutique’s immediate neighbors are, well, neighbors (the houses and small hotels of the gated community). The upscale and residential PlayaCar area location swaps pedestrian commotion for lounging iguanas and fluttering birds, cramped buildings for leafy trees, and late-night bass lines for crashing waves. A benefit to being outside of the densely populated and built-up central area is that the Sunset Fisherman’s property layout can be larger, even with just 61 rooms. Compared to spots with a similar number of rooms downtown, Sunset Fisherman is much bigger and less claustrophobic, with more expansive open-air spaces. The mostly middle-aged guests come here to relax, not party -- though through dance lessons, beach yoga, and other daily activities, the Fisherman’s staff make sure not to confuse relaxing and peaceful with dull.  

Located in the northern section of the upscale and security gated neighborhood of PlayaCar, Sunset Fisherman is a guaranteed quiet spot that’s still within an easy 10-minute walk to central Playa del Carmen -- and just under a 20-minute walk to the southern start of La Quinta Avenida. Many will find it to be the perfect compromise, location-wise; it's not right in bustling downtown but it's also not so far that reaching downtown requires pricey cab rides (true of some of the region's resorts, such as similarly priced but more upscale Le Reve). While a large surrounding selection of bars, restaurants, and shops may be missing here, the hotel has a big stretch of beach right out back that is much less crowded than most spots in central Playa. Cancun Airport is about 50-minutes north on Highway 307, while Akumal Bay’s famous snorkeling and Tulum’s beachside ruins are 35 and 50 minutes south, respectively.

One of the Fisherman’s best features is its wide stretch of white sands directly behind the hotel. All beaches in Mexico are public, which means anyone can roll up and plop down on the sand, making most of central Playa’s already crowded hotel-side beaches even more cramped. Unlike many spots within central Playa del Carmen, the Sunset Fisherman’s slightly removed PlayaCar location gives guests access to a much less crowded (but no less beautiful) band of sand scattered with a fair amount of upscale couches, chairs, and tables; a few canopy lounge beds; and sun-beds -- all available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Various meal and beverage plan options are available ranging from a completely a la carte European Plan to a Premium All-Inclusive that has all your meals and premium beverages, including alcohol, covered. Breakfast is served a la carte in the main La Terraza restaurant, while American-style snack foods like burgers and fries are served on the covered deck of the poolside snack bar. In the evening, this casual, ocean-view dining spot turns into a reservations-required Italian bistro for dinner, and La Terraza restocks its lunch buffet with dinner items. If you’re not into alfresco dining, you may want to time your meals in order to snag some of the limited indoor seating, only available at La Terraza.

Both of the Fisherman’s bars, the Lobby Bar and the pool bar, are open all day into the night and feature beers on tap, spirits, and soft drinks. The pool bar serves both beach-goers and pool patrons with both a walk-up and swim-up ordering section. The small lobby bar, connected to the entrance of La Terraza restaurant, has a handful of wooden bar stools and fresh made iced tea fountain drinks. Drinks can be had at the bar or on one of the two comfy and cushioned sofa seating areas within the lobby.

Lacking easy proximity to the action and conveniences of central Playa, Sunset Fisherman’s resort-like features make it possible for guests to stay on-site during their entire stay -- if they want. In addition to the small selection of meal and drink options, the hotel also has an oceanfront infinity pool shaped like a quarter moon with a heated hot tub in the center (somewhat rare for the area). Padded, upscale loungers and bright and bold umbrellas surround the pool and hot tub area. For the most part, this is a relaxing and quiet space save any planned daily activities like water aerobics or dance lessons taking place in the pool area. Other activities on the schedule include beach yoga, catamaran cruises, or kayak trips (some at additional fee).There’s a sunken sundeck off the pool with a line of loungers facing toward the ocean, or for more privacy, a second-floor, covered sundeck has nice loungers, fewer people, and uninterrupted ocean views.Indoors, the Fisherman has a small spa area with two treatment rooms, shower, steam room, and small beauty salon with hair and nail services. There’s also a roomy, modern fitness room with an entire glass wall facing out to the beach. Other typical hotel features include a concierge and tour booking service in the lobby, contracted pay-per-use business center, and a free one-way shuttle into central Playa del Carmen.