eroz

Just returned from our first trip to Playa-just wonderful! Relaxing, great beach, good food and super nice people & new friends. I'l admit, as much as I want to be a beach person, this irish skin just can't take it. Thank god for umbrellas on the beach. The water was gorgeous but I wanted to stay in longer!!
Play by Play:
Transit: set ours up through our hotel. It is nutty when you first get outside but don’t follow any of the very aggressive people coming at you. Our transit guy had our name on a sign but a simple cab vs. shuttle will get you to your destination easily for around $40 each way. about 45min S of Cancun airport.

Hotel: Luna Blue. Exactly what we expected and just perfect. Not an all inclusive. May skip the full kitchenette next time since so much affordable food can be found near by and all rooms have a fridge and water jug. Met some great new friends at the hotel and had some fun convos with new visitors on the swings at the bar. Clean, good location, super helpful staff.
Beaches: free passes from the hotel to Mamitas so went there most often as its 4 blocks away and easy to get back and forth if you take a break. Great beach and waterfront. Next fave beach club/area was Wickys, free chair umbrella passes (as all I mention here do from Luna blue) but supposedly 100 peso min drink/food that they didn’t charge us. Also great beach and less crowded so can get here later in morning (by 10:30 I’d say). Indigo had great chairs and cheap beers but ran out of umbrellas early. They also have boats tie up in front so you have to walk a bit for a nice beachfront area. Carnival Royale is smaller and I think about the bar. Lots of boats but we didn’t go in. Crowded beach area but minimal swimming around boats.

Akumal for snorkeling with turtles and fish. Tulum was highly recommended but we didn’t make it there in our short 6 days. There are small ruins our new friend introduced us to just S of the mall at the end of Fifth ave that are worth a view.

Food: Lots of great happy hours. 25-40 pesos for beer, 40-80 pesos for margaritas. Las Carboncitas, Anna was great! Good all day but even better happy hour. Pasteur tacos are excellent. Second place for Pasteur and a show by the guy on the rotisserie is at 10th just S of Constitution called Arandas. Rudy the owner was very attentive and has restaurants in other locations including Texas and runs a great place. La Hacienda at 10th and 26th Calle was consistently very good and very affordable, recommend the shrimp tacos. Playa Maya hotel around 6th along the beach is a great spot but food is pricey for what else is around there. Fusion at 6th had great food and music (check which nts for music). PGs Sandbox is the place for any sports or just for a nice outdoor bar with cool people to chat with!

Also, they have a Mega and WalMart right in town to grab beer, drinks, food and snacks. Weirdest thing to me was the unrefrigerated eggs but they were fine! Enjoy!

plumboy

Thanks for the report. Headed there in March -- which can't come too soon at this point. We keep flip-flopping (as usual) between Mimi del Mar and Riviera Maya Suites. I *think* we've decided on Mimi del Mar; we'll see.

Sounds fun!

hopefulist

We're headed to Playa later this month - thanks for posting!

JuliePA

Ahhh - the Luna Blue Bar - our favorite bar. Jorge makes the best margaritas. Glad you liked Playa - we are headed back in March for our tenth trip. We also have stayed at Luna Blue - great place. Our last three trips we have stayed at Aventura Mexicana right around the corner. Also, a very nice hotel and they have a pool which we like to hang out in after spending a day at the beach. We have always meant to try La Hacienda but we never have - will put it on our list for this year. Thanks for sharing.

SportyMom23

we are looking for a small boutique hotel....do not want all inclusive, breakfast is good, and nice pool and bar...but nothing big...want to be close walking distance to fifth ave, and beach...suggestions?? two women from canada...going end of february.

zootsi

SportyMom, here are a two places we have been, would recommend them both: Posada Mariposa & Fiesta Banana. Both are under $100 a night, and at the north (nicer)end of town. Very comfortable, relaxing hotels. I believe they serve breakfast, but they don't have pools. They are both a few blocks from Mamita's Beach Club (VERY beautiful beach). I believe they will give you coupons for lounge chairs and a palapa at the beach club.

SportyMom23

thanks zootsi....really want a small hotel, with a pool..sometimes just dont want the sand, lol....like a pool. any other suggestions??

zootsi

SportyMom, many years ago we stayed at a few places with pools - never used the pool, nor did anyone else. Here's why: Most small hotels that have pools have very small ones, usually in a shady spot. In the winter months, it can dip down into the high 60's late at night, making a shaded pool pretty chilly. I guarantee you'll be spending 80% of your day time on the beach, under a palapa.