Hitomi

We spent 8 days in Playa del Carmen (11/24-12/1). I really appreciated all the postings in this website and wanted to share mine, as well.<BR><BR>HOTEL:<BR>We stayed at Porto Real (PR), which we enjoyed. Like some of you, we had two hotels in mind, either Porto Real or Continental Plaza (CP). So, we checked CP out, too. Continental Plaza is also nice, but PR is in much better location--the northern part of Playa is nicer and has more upscale restaurants. We opted for non-AI, but ate there twice. Food was good, but not great.<BR><BR>AI OR NOT:<BR>Some people wonder whether they should go with AI or not. It really depends on what you like and what you want. If your idea of vacation is laying on the beach most of the time (like my husband), AI is the way to go. We ordered a margareta at PR, it costs US$5. If you are on AI, all the drinks are included. If you are with AI, many things are included, such as workout room, spa, and water sport equipment. If you are not, you pay for all. Things (food) are relatively expensive in Playa, so if you plan to spend a few days in the hotel, you may consider going with AI.<BR><BR>DAY TRIPS:<BR>We went to Chichen Itza, Tulum, and Xcaret. Chichen Itza is incredible. Climbing up on the pyramid is one of the trip's highlights. We joined a tour, but it included only two other couples, so it was more like a semi-private tour. We were very happy with our knowledgable, helpful guide. The ocean around Tulum was so blue, it worths going just to see the ocean. Whether you like Xcaret or not is depending on what you like. <BR> <BR>Oh, well, it is getting too long. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer.<BR><BR>Hitomi<BR>

Barbara

Hitomi, there have been postings on this board about Porto Real, and the apparent lack of service when things go awry, and also overbooking rooms, thereby forcing guests to stay at their sister resorts. Those two aspects have me sufficiently concerned to be at the point of not considering Porto Real. Did you experience any of that or hear of any similar complaints while you were there? and was the hotel full or were there vacancies? thanks.

Wendy

Hi Hitomi, We are going to Playa del Carmen in Feb for two weeks. We are stay at an AC. What I would like to know is about the buses. Is there local buses to get around to the ruin sites and just for exploring? You can contact me at [email protected]. Thanks alot. Wendy<BR>

Susan

Wendy, we've been to Playa del Carmen a few times and always stay in smaller hotels in town. We've often used public transit there. There is a bus station in town and you can easily catch a bus down the coast. Sometimes though you'll be a bit of a walk to a beach. I know you can get a bus to Xcaret or even take a taxi - it's only a few minutes outside of PDC. <BR><BR>We've also rented a car for a day or 2. The driving is quite easy in that area - roads are flat and relatively straight. Car rental isn't cheap - we've usually rented a VW bug (standard transmission). That might be an alternative if you want to explore some of the ruins like Coba.

Hitomi

Barbara, we did not have any problem with the hotel. At the time of our stay, a local paper reported that occupancy rate of the area is 50-60% for large resort hotels and 30% of smaller hotels on average. I felt that it is a little higher with Porto Real, but certainly not crowded at all. In fact, most of the time it was quiet. Staffs were all friendly and nice--although nothing was extraordinary.<BR><BR>Wendy, as Susan said, the bus system in Playa seems quite good. We took a bus to Tulum, air-conditioned and comfortable. Buses go fairly frequently. I know they go to Chichen Itza, Coba, and all other areas. We took a taxi to Xcaret because it is more convenient and cheap (around US$6~7 from our hotel). <BR><BR>I wanted to add some comments about food. I liked breakfast buffet (only US$4 or so) at El Talkun (?) on 5th Ave., a block away from our hotel. The Hot Baking Co. serves very good bakery items and sandwishes. Da Gabi is an excellent Italian restaurant (home made pasta and pizza, plus seafood). Yaxchet (?sorry for misspelling) was a little disappointing...