TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

We came here because we thought it was a beachfront property, but turns out due to global warming the main beach at the property is completely underwater now. They designed a small smaller beach on the side, but the water is quite rocky and not swimmable at all. If you’re looking for a vacation where you’re just gonna hang out by the pool it’s still a good choice but if you want beach vibes look somewhere else. Food was pretty good, but nothing spectacular. Servers were good. Rooms were very noisy and beware of the “oceanfront versus “ocean view”. We got the ocean view which means that you have to lean over the side of the balcony to actually see the ocean. It was still a good trip but we would book somewhere else next time.

We arrived late in the afternoon. We checked in with the concierge and before we even saw our room, he said we could upgrade for $100 a night for a better room and “there was only 1 left.” Our room did NOT have a window nor did the hallway outside our room. It was like a dungeon. We quickly upgraded in the whir of the day. Later I did go back and we indeed were supposed to have a patio. It is shown right in the picture of our room. Our upgraded room was nice but I blame the hotel and myself for getting scammed out of $400. Although our upgraded room was nice, the pullout couch was atrociously uncomfortable. It felt like we were sleeping on planks of wood. Also, because of the hurricane, the beach is almost non-existent so note that if the beach is important. Again deceiving pictures. However, the restaurants were absolutely wonderful. 5-star food, each dish prepared for the guest. Abraham at Brasas, Daniel and Hector at Bella’s, Serain at Zarapes, and Sebastian at the beach bar made our eating and drinking experience great! Fun afternoon and evening activities. We would visit again but would make we knew what we were supposed to be getting when checking in.

We have enjoyed our family Christmas here! The Junior suites are a good size with large bathroom and walk in closet with safe. Though we only had a partial sea view this did not hinder our enjoyment. Staff are phenomenal. The food is varied every day and we tried all the speciality restaurants apart from the pizzeria. Entertainment was varied from bingo/ darts/ volley ball/ foam party and nightly shows, jazz, fire show, Mexican show! It’s a short walk to the beach and a ferry to Cozumel ( though we only worked this out on our last day). We visited Las Colorados and Chizen Ichtcha via a tour but the hotel arranges trips as well. Short walk to main shopping area.

Location The location is a major plus. The hotel is walkable to Fifth Avenue (La Quinta), shopping, restaurants, and nightlife, making it easy to get around Playa del Carmen without needing transportation. Service The staff was absolutely amazing. Attentive, warm, and consistently helpful from the time we arrived through departure. This was truly one of the highlights of our stay. Cleanliness Rooms and grounds were very clean and well maintained throughout our stay. Rooms Two-room perspective: The suite was spacious, nicely updated, and comfortable overall. The mattress could use replacing, but I still slept well. The second room (kids) was small, dated, and felt a bit damp/dank. Tip: Pay for the suite upgrade if traveling with family. Food & Drink The buffet was good upon arrival, especially breakfast, but the selections never changed and felt repetitive throughout the week. The specialty restaurants were good but only open in the evenings. Pool The pool is small for the size of the resort. During busy seasons, guests tend to reserve loungers despite posted rules. To secure prime seating, cabana rentals are available. During a quieter travel period, the pool was enjoyable and not overcrowded. Beach The hotel is very upfront that Playa del Carmen beaches are not wide or sprawling like Cancun or Florida. That said, the property does a great job maximizing the beach it does have with lounge chairs and an open bar. Seaweed is cleared daily, which I noticed during early morning beach time at sunrise

AVOID THE SUSHI RAW BAR AT ALL COSTS Let me start with the positives. The food at most of the restaurants was pretty good overall, except for the dinner buffet, which was mediocre at best. The room itself was nice and clean, and the staff were consistently friendly. The activities and overall atmosphere were enjoyable, and up until the last day, the trip felt fairly good. Now for the negatives — and unfortunately, they are serious. The day before I left, I decided to try the sushi raw bar, since I had already eaten at every other restaurant and had seen other guests enjoying it. I ordered a poke bowl, something I normally eat without issue. The taste was decent, nothing special — but a few hours later, I developed severe stomach pain followed by extreme diarrhea. At first, I assumed it was just an upset stomach or my body readjusting to normal food. I also have gastritis, and at the time I was on my period, so I didn’t immediately think much of it. However, the symptoms continued, worsened, and I developed a fever, which led me to go to the hospital after returning home. The results were alarming: I was septic and tested positive for TWO strains of E. coli AND Salmonella. The timing made it very clear where this came from — the sushi bar. This was not a mild illness; it was serious and required medical care. Please, avoid that sushi bar at all costs. There were also safety and maintenance issues. The jacuzzi bubbles didn’t work, which defeats the purpose of calling it a jacuzzi. Additionally, my boyfriend cut his finger on a sharp railing near the jacuzzi. When we reported it to the front desk, we were simply told to get a bandage — which they didn’t even have. The only bandage available was at the “lifeguard station,” despite never seeing any lifeguards present, and they had nothing to disinfect the wound, just a band-aid. They also took our names and room number but showed little concern. Overall, the stay wasn’t horrible, but it definitely wasn’t great. Given the health scare and safety issues, I would not stay here again. If you’re looking for a higher-quality and safer resort experience, I strongly suggest finding a better option.