Playa del Carmen Great Values

With only seven stylish and intimate suites, this is a choice find for the money. Expect Mexican hacienda architecture with a Zen-like vibe; a carved Buddha watches over the small pool and its saltillo-tiled terrace. The suites have CD players and TVs, with hammocks on the patios. Beds have romantic mosquito netting canopies and each suite has a full kitchenette with complimentary coffee. At night the property is dimly lit with flickering candles, while incense wafts throughout. Service is personal and attentive, and the boutique provides guests with towels and beach mats.

Like most of its neighbors in the Mayan Riviera, Hacienda Tres Rios fronts a gorgeous stretch of white-sand beach. But, unlike many of the region’s oceanfront resorts, this all-inclusive has transformed an adjoining mangrove forest into a nature preserve where you can kayak along a quiet river to the ocean, explore native plants and, best of all, snorkel in private cenotes (deep freshwater pools that speckle the region but are often crowded with day trippers). Dark mahogany furnishings and an earth-toned color scheme offer up a soothing, organic vibe, while marble bathrooms and private balconies overlooking the ocean are posh touches. Another noteworthy amenity is the exit lounge, which provides guests who are booked on late flights with a comfortable place to pass the time.

This 15-room boutique retreat – one of the trendiest properties in an already trendy city – shares the same owners as the iconic Mexico City hotel Habita. With a central lounge area that serves as the lobby, pool, restaurant, and bar it feels like a Mexican version of South Beach. The standard rooms, which face the lounge, lack TVs and most amenities but are still quite appealing, with frosted glass doors, white curtains, and big cozy beds. And don’t forget, it’s only two blocks from the ocean.

In the budget category, there's no better option than the Lunata. The stylish little inn right on Fifth Avenue has just ten rooms, all with hardwood floors, wood-beamed ceilings, and Spanish tile showers. The décor is clean and the beds are comfortable, making the quality here better than many hotels that are twice the price. Request one of the rooms facing the street for a small balcony that affords the best city views.

La Tarraya is one of the last remnants of Playa del Carmen pre-jetset days. It’s as basic...more

The beachside bar that Newsweek called one of the ten best in the world in 1998 is still a Playa must. The 10:30pm fire show is a highlight for many, though the crowd doesn’t die down until the sun comes up. It's pretty casual, with a sandy floor and lounge chairs under the open sky surrounded by palms.

Simple, cheap, and delicious, this casual spot tends to render its visitors devotees after their...more