lasagna

Hi Fellow Travelers,
After scouring the Fodor’s forum for hours, I’ve accepted the fact that I need some help. I am trying to plan a weeks vacation for our family of 4 (kids ages 20 and 21) to Playa del Carmen. We’re attracted to the area because we love to be within a short walking distance of both restaurants/nightlife and the beach. Years ago, we stayed at Capitain Lafitte, and although the beach was beautiful, it was too removed for us and we didn’t like the fact that dinners were included. So, now, we are looking to stay closer to town, beachfront would be nice but not necessary. A friend of mine recommended the Soho hotel. So I thought we would be set. But turns out they don’t have any really good accommodations for a family of 4 (no adjacent rooms or larger suites) so we would be paying for 2 separate rooms….which got me thinking we would probably be better off for the price with a condo type place where we could have some living space.
We are not at all interested in AI and would like to be within a few blocks from a beautiful beach as well as cute restaurants, coffee shops, etc. (maybe the Little Italy section??) We would also like the property to have a nice pool (although we are more beach people). Willing to pay up to $350 a night although I would prefer between $200-300. FYI, we are looking for the beginning of August and already checked El Taj and its booked. When I called they recommended the sister property Maya Villa, but wasn’t convinced about property and the pool in particular. Checked condos on airbnb and Loco Gringo, but found it hard to sort the good ones from the bad, even with the reviews they offer.
Also, I should note that since I haven’t heard such amazing reviews about the beaches in Playa, we would definitely consider staying ½ the time in Playa and the other ½ in either akumal or Tulum if we found a great hotel/condo recommendation and it was near a town (even if its small) with local atmosphere.
Well, a million thanks in advance for any help. It is really, really appreciated!!!

schmerl

Wow...all of El Taj condos are full?
Look into Playa Maya. It's a great boutique type hotel on the beach. Breakfast is included.

emd3

August is a slow time, it's hot, and you should be able to get good rates on a condo. The north end of 5th Ave, around 38th St. Is a wonderful area that has grown a lot in the last few years, many restaurants and shops there now, like about 25 restaurants within a block in any direction of 5 th Ave and 38th St.

I have a nice 2bedroom 2.5 bath condo with big wraparound patio at the Meridian condos, 40 th St and 1 St Ave, a block from the beach, but it is rented til mid-August. You can get something very nice a block off the beach tha meets your requirements for a lot less than your quoted price in August. Have you looked at Luna Encantada, it is oceanfront and a poster here, MFCinNYC stayed the two yrs ago and liked it. I have looked at some condos there also.

Some other nice complexes around that 5th Ave/38th St corridor within a block of the beach Are the Haab and DIVA. Condos. Try to get one with a nice covered patio, you will get nice ocean breezes.

emd3

And a rooftop pool with ocean view. Our condo bldg has that and it is really nice. Not sure if the Haab does, but DIVA does.

jamie99

Can't help with PDC, but in May I stayed at Playa Caribe on Half Moon Bay in north Akumal. I stayed in one of the casitas which would probably be a bit small for your family, the regular condos are very nice 2 br, has a pool, AC and reverse osmosis water so you can drink from the tap. The caretaker there is just terrific and so helpful.

Rohelio

Lots of good info here, especially within Playa. Yes, the north end of Playa (Italian section) would be great for your family, as mentioned, lots of restaurants, condos and hotels. The beach (Mamitas) in that area is just fantastic and the water is just as nice. IMO, you would most certainly be better off in Playa than Akumal or Tulum, with all that Playa has to offer. P.S., the beach in front of El Taj is not the greatest with the fishing boats and the erosion...

lasagna

Thanks so, so much for all the great info. The northern section of Playa sounds promising indeed. I started to check and it looks like there might be something in either the Meridien or Deva. Just want to confirm that you guys don’t think this would be too far north? Don’t really want a residential area of just condos, but looking for some local color. Does anyone know the street number of Deva?
Luna Encantada looked really nice too, almost ideal, but believe it or not, it was at the very, very top of my price range (around $371 a night) so still looking for something more reasonable.
Also, should say, that I love Yoga…. Ideally, would have liked to stay in a place that offers daily yoga classes…..but if that doesn’t work out…no problem.
Once again, thanks a million for the help.
P.S. As for other recommendations…..Will also look into the Playa Caribe…..and the Playa Maya is not available.

emd3

Deva is literally across 42nd st from the Meridien. I can see it across the street from my side balcony ( my condo is on the 42nd st side of Meridien). Forget about addresses, addresses there are not likeq

there are some condo bldgs around there, but one block behind you is 5 th ave. and 2 short blocks to the south is 38th St. ( Calle 38), full of trees, shopping, music, restaurants, etc. But the condo area is quiet, which is nice, and Coco Beach directly in front is great for swimming.


Another oceanfront condo bldg is the Elements, but it is likely to be outside your price range. El faro also! at 10th st and the beach but it has had some severe management problems ( the former managing company owner is in jail for stealing money and fraud from both renters and owners). Corto malted condos are next door to El Faro and oceanfront. Zenzi beach club with live music on the beachfront is in that bldg.

emd3

That should be Corto Maltez.

Warning: Stay away from Playacar (oceanfront units) since you don't want to be in a huge condo/townhome/home gated community

emd3

One more oceanfront condo bldg to check out, Casa del Mar, next to Elements.

Rohelio

The Italian section of la Quinta (5th avenue) starts at Constituyentes street and goes north up to calle 42. Past calle 42 you start to leave the busy section for the residential section. It is more quiet at night and there are less businesses and so on. If you want to be in the action, you have to be south of calle 40 for sure. I once stayed at the condo(Quintasea) on the corner of 20 and Quinta for 6 weeks and it was too much for me. Too much noise especially at night. This said, you are only there for a week so you might enjoy it. If you decide to check it out ask for Isabel, the entrance is on calle 20 and there is no pool but the rent is cheap. Her sisters e-mail who runs the business is: [email protected] . The condos are clean cheap and come with just about everything you need to live there.

emd3

The barricades that police put up to make 5th Ave. a pedestrian street now extend to 42nd St. as of this past spring. There is a new Argentinian restaurant at the corner of 40th st. and 5th. ave., and next to it, going towards 42nd st. is a yoga studio. On the other side of 5th Ave btwn 40th st and 42 nd st. Is a coffee and pastry cafe, a taco place, and a small spa business. Things are growing all the way to
42nd st. now, and it is all pedestrian now down to 42 nd due to that. I was there 6 wks ago for 2 wks and was amazed how much there is between 38th and 42 nd on 5th ave now.

plumboy

Have you checked out Riviera Maya Suites? Haven't stayed there myself, but it's been on my radar for a while. It's part of the Las Palapas property, so has a bit of a jungly/removed feel I think with pretty direct access to the beach, while still being close to everything.

emd3

Wow plum boy, that looks nice, I had no idea that Las Palapas had apartments like that. And you get all the Las Palapas amenities. Very nice indeed, great location, and some of them have ocean views.

plumboy

Yeah, they really do look great - online at least and photos I've seen. Seems like the best of both worlds.

lasagna

Many thanks once again to everyone for their input.... Such good info! I'm particularly interested in the Riviera Maya Suites. Might be what I'm looking for. Just wondering if there is anyone else who maybe has stayed there or seen the property. It might help me to finally decide
And last but not least....a special shoutout to emd3 for the yoga studio info!!

plumboy

They get pretty consistently good reviews on Tripadvisor, in case no one on here has stayed there.

emd3

Las Palapas is wonderful. It is like a secluded tropical paradise but then you exit and you are right on 5th Ave. the land that makes up Las Palapas is federally protected because it has mangrove trees on it and also because there is a very small set of Mayan ruins on the land. Due to that, Las Palapas has been able to keep a very very large amt. of land on their property completely undeveloped . It is absolutely lovely.

I know that because we are in the process of buying a 2nd condo at a new development under construction on 38th st. called Las Terazzas. Our condo terrace will overlook the land owned by Las Palapas behind our bldg all the way to 34th St. That land can never be developed under Mexican law due to the ruins and the mangroves. Las Palpapas owns a highly desireable and much coveted large amt. of oceanfront land and all the land going to 5th Ave., from just off 38th St. All the way to 34th St.

I would stay there in a minute. Consistent excellent reviews on tripadvisor and other review sites. If you can score a room with ocean view, you will have every criteria you are looking for.

lasagna

Thanks Plumboy and emd3! Las Palapas sounds wonderful. We would actually be booking though at the Riviera Maya Suites, which I imagine is also right there. I tried to find it on Google maps but without success. I guess the fact that we could use the facilities of Las Palapas will be fantastic. It also looks from Trip advisor that the beach area of Las palapas is one of best.

emd3

Riviera Maya Suites is part of Las Palapas. It is on the same property.