Playa Del Carmen Hotels

…the choicest option in Playa…

When I moved to Playa Del Carmen, I had just quit a job and had a fair reserve of money to blow.

I guess I had never anticipated the cost of living here – honestly, I had no idea.

I was looking for an apartment to rent, but I was getting so drunk that most days didn’t start until 3pm.

It was around a month until I paid a deposit and moved into my own rental home.

In the meantime, I became some kind of vagabond hotel guest, switching between Playa Del Carmen hotels every few days as I tried to save money and begin staging this website.

I started in a nice hotel.

By the end of the month I was so broke that I asked my favorite street-food stall if I could sleep on the sidewalk next to him.

Let’s just say it was a learning experience.

It certainly taught me a lot about Playa Del Carmen hotels.

In particular, I learned that price doesn’t necessarily equal quality.

And throwing 5:AM tequila parties in your room isn’t a good idea when you leave your credit card as collateral.

Playa Del Carmen Hotels Are Cheaper

Playa Del Carmen has lots of accommodation options.

There are all-inclusives, villa rentals, resorts, hostels, condos hotels, and plain old hotels.

For some reason a lot of people are obsessed with staying in a resort.

This is Mexico!

Some people go home having seen nothing but the airport and their pool at their lame resort.

However beautiful and luxurious resorts may be, there are many reasons for choosing a Playa Del Carmen hotel instead.

Let’s start with the basics.

One – they’re cheaper.

Two – they’re much better value.

There are hundreds of Playa Del Carmen hotels and the competition between them ensures that the prices stay low.

Furthermore, it means that quality has to be maintained.

Think about the local resort.

Do you really need all those amenities that you’re paying for?

Why do you need a gym on vacation?

Why do you need five restaurants at your resort when there are 500 restaurants in Playa Del Carmen?

Most Playa Del Carmen hotels are not on the beach.

So what?

You can still walk there in a few minutes.

Plus you’re closer to the attractions and nightlife of Playa Del Carmen.

Playa Del Carmen Hotels Have Personality

Most Playa Del Carmen resorts provide some kind of protective bubble, ensuring that guests don’t get to see anything of the real Playa Del Carmen.

You could be anywhere!

But you’re not, you’re in one of the most exciting places on the planet – however, you wouldn’t know it from the vantage point of being inside one of these resorts.

All the resorts stick to a theme that revolves around making everything look fancy and expensive.

Some of them don’t even try to make it seem Mexican.

However, Playa Del Carmen hotels have personality.

Many of them are manager-owned, which means that the owner’s personality goes into every aspect of the hotel.

And there are some cool owners.

Of course I’m not talking about the chain hotels here.

But seriously, who actually enjoys staying in a Holiday Inn?

“Wow, this room is hmmm…just like every Holiday Inn room in the whole frigging world…”

No, most hotels here are always memorable.

They have charm, cute little touches, and an inimitability which makes them the best choice in Playa Del Carmen.

Different Locations For Playa Del Carmen Hotel

Playa Del Carmen hotels are very rarely on the beach.

The prime real estate is gobbled up by international chains who build all-inclusive resorts for overweight families and sunburned Brits.

Some of the resorts give guests a golf cart so they can drive the one block to the beach.

Do they think that people don’t have legs?

So with a Playa Del Carmen hotel you’re probably not going to be smack bang on the beach.

So where are you going to be?

The prime Playa Del Carmen hotel spot is on 5th Avenue.

You’re right in the middle of Playa Del Carmen’s main street, and it’s only a couple minutes walk to the sand. (Remember: 5th Avenue runs parallel to the beach only one block away from the water.)

5th Ave closes down at midnight, so you’ll still get a good night’s sleep.

If you’re on 10th Ave, then be warned that the bars and clubs stay open until the hotel’s breakfast is served.

Then there are Playa Del Carmen hotels on most of the streets moving away from the beach.

In general, the further away from 5th Ave, the cheaper the price.

Playa Del Carmen hotels in the Mexican part of the city are the cheapest.

This is either in the quiet part of town north of downtown, or west of Playa Del Carmen but before the highway.

Rufus’s List Of Playa Del Carmen Hotels

I’ve listed 10 Playa Del Carmen hotels that I’m confident you will like.

They’re either places I’ve stayed before or I’ve always heard good reviews about.

Playa Del Carmen Hotel 1 – Playa Maya

This hotel is regularly number one on many hotel review sites.

I think the main reason is that there are very few other Playa Del Carmen hotels that are on the beach.

So you get a small and cute boutique hotel, but can also walk straight out on the sand.

Prices are reasonable, from $100 USD for a small room in low season to $235 USD for a luxury suite in high season.

Plus the breakfast is huge.

Gorge yourself on it, and then you won’t need to spend money on lunch.

My only complaint with this place – it’s packed solid during high season!

Playa Del Carmen Hotel 2 – Hotel Riviera Del Sol

This hotel has an ideal location, half a block from the beach and half a block from 5th Avenue.

It’s cute, has a nice little pool, large rooms, and a filling breakfast.

I would say it’s the perfect hotel if you’re only with a few people and plan to go out partying, because it’s only stumbling distance from the clubs.

If you’re not going to be downing mescal (a type of Mexican tequila) at 3AM, then you might get annoyed by the noise late in the night.

Rooms range from $97 USD low season / $185 USD high season.

Playa Del Carmen Hotel 3 – Petit Latiffe

Out of the way on a quiet part of the beach, this is a Playa Del Carmen hotel for serious R & R.

Great décor, idyllic strip of sand, and only a handful of rooms.

That means everyone gets a sun-lounger – regardless of whether Germans are staying here.

I prefer the bungalows as they feel very harmonious with nature, especially when you hear the waves in the morning.

Playa Del Carmen Hotel 4 – La Pasion Hotel Boutique

If you want something with an authentic Mexican edge, then I recommend this place.

It’s in a part of town that has a more local vibe.

Still, that’s only 5 – 10 minutes to all the action on 5th Ave or the beach.

The rooms aren’t huge – I think they call them “cozy” in the hotel industry…Only problem is that the prices really jump in high season – up to $438 USD/night!

But in low season it’s a bargain at $120 USD.

Playa Del Carmen Hotel 5 – Soho Playa Hotel

You don’t need a resort to get a swimming pool on the roof.

Just come here and savor the views before playing around in the hot tub.

In fact, if you happen to be a party of six unbelievably hot chicks, then invite me to your Soho Playa hot tub party!

If you’re not, then just enjoy this new boutique hotel.

Playa Del Carmen Hotel 6 – Hotel Aventura Mexicana

This is a beautiful hotel.

I stayed here one night when I invited a girlfriend over from the States.

It would have been more nights, but she blew me out and canceled at the last minute!

Relax in the gardens, enjoy the ambience, and admire the hot chicks around the pool. Paradise!

It’s right in the heart of Playa Del Carmen, but it’s still quiet.

Plus it’s only $99 USD for a room in low season.

Playa Del Carmen Hotel 7 – Hotel Casa Ticul

A charming hotel on the northern side of 5th Avenue.

It looks great, the staff always get rave reviews, and it’s far enough away from the clubs to ensure tranquility after midnight.

It’s age 16+ only, which I prefer in a hotel.

Nothing worse than getting in at 4AM, and next door is a bunch of excited kids playing in the hallway at 7AM.

From $126-151 USD/night in low season to $168-202 USD/night in high season, you really can’t go wrong.

Playa Del Carmen Hotel 8 – Acanto Boutique Hotel

This is one of my absolute favorite hotels in Playa Del Carmen.

It’s tucked away down a side street, but walking distance to everything here.

They have amazing staff.

One buddy of mine stayed here and ended up trashing the room in a drunken escapade.

He apologized the next morning.

Then the staff started apologizing to him because it took them longer than usual to clean the room.

Check out the rooftop view, enjoy the charming interiors, and then end up booking to come back next year!

Only downside, it’s more expensive than the others: $165 – 300 USD.night dependent on the season.

Playa Del Carmen Hotel 9 – Luna Blue Hotel

My buddy stayed here and couldn’t stop laughing his ass off every day.

The staff would fold up the towels to make strange creatures.

His favorite was finding an elephant shaped towel on his bed one afternoon; it’s trunk looked like a big penis.

It’s a perfect hotel if you just want a spacious room and plan to spend most of your time participating in the local activities and attractions.

Most of all, it’s cheap.

$80 USD/night for a room in low season.

Even in high season it’s only $140 USD/night.

It’s quiet and homely, although they don’t have the extras like a bar and restaurant.

But you don’t actually need those things when you’re in a hotel here.

Playa Del Carmen Hotel 10 – Hotel Cielo

Cheap, friendly, and has a Mexican feel…what more can you ask for in a hotel?

$79 USD/night in low season, and only $139 USD/night in the middle of high season.

You have to walk to the beach – but it’s only five minutes away, so don’t worry about that.

Actually, the more I think about, Hotel Cielo really is one of the best in Playa Del Carmen if you’re looking for something simple.

A Last Word About Playa Del Carmen Hotels

Unless you’ve got loads of $$$ to spunk away, then I really really recommend not going to an all inclusive resort.

Save your money for all the amazing things to do in and around Playa Del Carmen.

Get a Playa Del Carmen hotel instead.

I hope to see you here soon…

Lots of love,

Rufus

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It’s your turn. Do you have any advice, tips, or suggestions about the hotels here? Please leave them in the comments section below!

8 comments on “Playa Del Carmen Hotels

  1. Hi Rufus!

    I love, love, love this website! Have you ever stayed at La Tortuga? I am visiting Playa with my 16 year old daughter and my 18 year old nephew. We want to be close to the action, but not be kept awake by boom boom music at all hours. Would La Tortuga be a good fit?

    Thank you :)

    • Succulent Susie,

      I am so happy you love my website! I wrote it for people like you.

      I have never stayed at La Tortuga (‘The Turtle’ in English).

      However, I did stop and visit there because I wanted to see if I could use their hot water jacuzzi. Most people try to avoid hot water and use a pool to cool off. Despite this, I was looking for some hot water to soak in and found this place. (Unfortunately, the jacuzzi was broken – and still may be; this was about a month ago. I would ask them if you are interested in using their jacuzzi. (“Is your jacuzzi functional right now?”)

      I must admit, the courtyard of La Tortuga looked quite nice. Moreover, there is a bar in the courtyard and it is also connected to a cute little Italian restaurant (I think it is Como Como). However, it is quite close to 12th Street, which is where all of the hottest clubs in the city reside. In addition it is right on 10th Ave., which is one of the busiest streets of the city. So, if you are looking to get some good sleep with your daughter and nephew, it may not be the perfect place.

      Nonetheless, it is very conveniently located, so the decision would be yours to make. It may be very quiet inside at night, I don’t know.

      My mom and I stayed at the Luna Blue Hotel and really liked it a lot. It is on 26th St. between 5th Ave. and 10th Ave. it has a nice swimming pool and is centrally located. The staff was very friendly, too. Ask for Hugo; he is the manager there. Mention his name and you may even get a discount!!! Or talk to Juan; he works at the front desk.

      Otherwise, there are hundreds of other hotels in the area to choose from. So long as you stay away from 12th St., 10th St., and 10th Ave., you should be fine at night.

      I hope this helps….

      Lots of love,

      Rufus

      • Thank you so much for your informative comments! You’re giving me lots to think about :) I am so excited to visit Playa and all it has to offer. I’m having the greatest time going through your website! It is so easy to navigate.

        Hugs,

        Susie

        • Statuesque Susie,

          You’re going to have a great time here! I just went shopping at Walmart, as a matter of fact. Right now is a slower part of the year, so it is very peaceful here. The sun was shining, I could smell the ocean from five blocks away, and everyone was smiling when I went to the store.

          I think you’re really going to like the city, and I can guarantee that your daughter and nephew will!

          Have an incredible trip, and don’t forget to send me some photographs so that I can add them to this website!

          Lots of love,

          Rufus

  2. Hi Rufus,
    Great website , thank you. My husband and I are interested in renting bikes to explore Playa del Carmen. Paul rides a trike , I’m good on a regular bike. Are there bike shops which rent trikes? We plan to be there from Dec. 15th – 20th. Lastly, are any of the hotels above close to a bike path?

    Thank you!
    Peggy

    • Peggy,

      I’ve never seen trikes for rent here. The best bike path in town is on 10th Avenue that runs parallel to Fifth Avenue. Take a look on a map and you’ll find it.

      Also, you can ride around Playacar, the north part of Fifth Avenue, and parts of Benito Juarez (west side of the federal highway).

      Check these locations out on a map and you can find a hotel close to them. 10th Avenue is probably your best bet for a good hotel near a bike path; look between Constituyentes and Benito Juarez. There are MANY hotels in that area!!!

      Hope this helps, Peggy!!!

      Lots of love,

      Rufus

    • Khoi,

      Thanks for the comment. No, you CANNOT usually bring a guest back to your room without paying extra. This rule will apply for both hotels, resorts, and all-inclusive resorts.

      The difference between having extra guests at a simple hotel versus having extra guests at an all-inclusive is this: the all inclusive assumes that the guest is going to take advantage of the “all inclusive” part of their visit. In other words, the guest will likely eat, drink, use the pool, hot tubs, towels, etc. However, because a hotel does not include these “extras,” having extra guests is not as expensive from the hotel’s perspective.

      Nonetheless, hotels WILL charge extra for extra visitors and security is always on the lookout for this!!!! How much extra will they charge? Do the following:

      1. Go to your hotel’s website
      2. Go through the booking process for ONE guest. Do the same for TWO guest, THREE GUESTS, whatever you expect to bring.
      3. Write down the various prices. The difference in prices will be how much you will pay for the extra guests.

      Despite the fact that there are rules, this is Mexico. In a small hotel you may be able to tip off the security/receptionist in order to get a guest or two in.

      Good luck and happy vacationing…

      Take care,

      Rufus

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