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Playa del Carmen: Hotels

The last few years have transformed Playa del Carmen from a quiet beach community to a happening home for some of Mexico's most interesting hotels. New properties open practically every month, running the gamut from Miami Beach-style boutiques to luxury resorts. If you’re looking for a beachfront room, you’ll have to dig deep into your wallet and book one of the top tier properties (300+ per night) which, with just a few exceptions, hog the sand. Moderate hotels in the range of $150-300/night tend to be within walking distance of the beach and, ironically, sport some of the trendiest design in town, occasionally making them a better value than their more expensive siblings. Budget travelers will likely end up somewhere downtown as rooms by the beach for under $150 nightly are practically nonexistent. On the up side, downtown is only a few minutes' drive to the beach.

= Smart Splurge = Great Value

Acanto Boutique Hotel and Suites
With only seven stylish and intimate suites, this is a choice find for the money. Expect Mexican hacienda architecture with a...
romantic | great value

Hotel Lunata
In the budget category, there's no better option than the Lunata. The stylish little inn right on Fifth Avenue has just ten...
great value

Illusion Hotel
This four-level Asian/Italian-themed hotel located just a few walkable blocks from the beach would seem far more posh in any...
views

La Tortuga Hotel and Spa
This quiet, 51-room hotel is located steps from the action of downtown Playa del Carmen but offers a tranquil refuge with a...

Deseo Hotel & Lounge
This 15-room boutique retreat – one of the trendiest properties in an already trendy city – shares the same owners...
moderate | boutique

Fairmont Mayakoba
This fresh resort is located in what’s planned to be a luxury development just north of Playa del Carmen. The 401 rooms...

Hotel Le Rêve
This stylish, 25-unit hotel and spa, three miles north of Playa del Carmen at Playa Xcalacoco, combines European-style luxury...
pool

Shangri-La Caribe
At first glance, Shangri-la Caribe¹s cluster of thatched cabanas on the beach looks like an indigenous village. Take a...
waterfront

Hotel Basico
Just one block from the beach, this miniscule 15-room hotel from the owners of the nearby Deseo has drawn accolades for its...
trendy | views | expensive

Tides Riviera Maya
Formerly known as Ikal del Mar, Tides is the ultimate romantic resort, perfect for honeymooners. Thirty 1,000-square-foot...
romantic | smart splurge | trendy

Esencia
This 29-room hotel, which occupies a nearly empty two-mile stretch of perfect white sand at Playa Xpu-Ha, is located in a...
spa | expensive | waterfront

Mandarin Oriental
The Mandarin Oriental chain made a huge splash in early 2008 when they opened their first Mexican hotel here in Playa del...
spa | smart splurge | expensive

Maroma Resort and Spa
Maroma’s sparkling white-sand beach is renowned for its beauty, and this resort is perfectly located mere steps from the...
smart splurge | smart luxury winner

Paraíso de la Bonita
This 90-room, adults-only luxury spa resort north of Playa del Carmen is one of the most lavish accommodations on the Yucatan...
spa | views | expensive

Royal Hideaway Playacar
This adults-only, all-inclusive, 200-room Occidental resort is hard not to like. It’s neither small nor independent, but...
all-inclusive | pool | expensive | waterfront

Acanto Boutique Hotel and Suites
With only seven stylish and intimate suites, this is a choice find for the money. Expect Mexican hacienda architecture with a...
romantic | great value

Hotel Lunata
In the budget category, there's no better option than the Lunata. The stylish little inn right on Fifth Avenue has just ten...
great value

Illusion Hotel
This four-level Asian/Italian-themed hotel located just a few walkable blocks from the beach would seem far more posh in any...
views

La Tortuga Hotel and Spa
This quiet, 51-room hotel is located steps from the action of downtown Playa del Carmen but offers a tranquil refuge with a...

Deseo Hotel & Lounge
This 15-room boutique retreat – one of the trendiest properties in an already trendy city – shares the same owners...
boutique | trendy

Fairmont Mayakoba
This fresh resort is located in what’s planned to be a luxury development just north of Playa del Carmen. The 401 rooms...

Hotel Le Rêve
This stylish, 25-unit hotel and spa, three miles north of Playa del Carmen at Playa Xcalacoco, combines European-style luxury...
pool

Shangri-La Caribe
At first glance, Shangri-la Caribe¹s cluster of thatched cabanas on the beach looks like an indigenous village. Take a...
waterfront

Deseo Hotel & Lounge
This 15-room boutique retreat – one of the trendiest properties in an already trendy city – shares the same owners...
moderate | boutique

Hotel Basico
Just one block from the beach, this miniscule 15-room hotel from the owners of the nearby Deseo has drawn accolades for its...
luxury | views | expensive

Tides Riviera Maya
Formerly known as Ikal del Mar, Tides is the ultimate romantic resort, perfect for honeymooners. Thirty 1,000-square-foot...
luxury | romantic | smart splurge

Esencia
This 29-room hotel, which occupies a nearly empty two-mile stretch of perfect white sand at Playa Xpu-Ha, is located in a...
spa | expensive | waterfront

Hotel Basico
Just one block from the beach, this miniscule 15-room hotel from the owners of the nearby Deseo has drawn accolades for its...
trendy | views | expensive

Mandarin Oriental
The Mandarin Oriental chain made a huge splash in early 2008 when they opened their first Mexican hotel here in Playa del...
spa | smart splurge | expensive

Maroma Resort and Spa
Maroma’s sparkling white-sand beach is renowned for its beauty, and this resort is perfectly located mere steps from the...
smart splurge | smart luxury winner

Paraíso de la Bonita
This 90-room, adults-only luxury spa resort north of Playa del Carmen is one of the most lavish accommodations on the Yucatan...
spa | views | expensive

Royal Hideaway Playacar
This adults-only, all-inclusive, 200-room Occidental resort is hard not to like. It’s neither small nor independent, but...
all-inclusive | pool | expensive | waterfront

Tides Riviera Maya
Formerly known as Ikal del Mar, Tides is the ultimate romantic resort, perfect for honeymooners. Thirty 1,000-square-foot...
romantic | smart splurge | trendy

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