Fodor's Expert Review Le Rêve Hotel & Spa

A chic modern boutique hotel, located just a 10-minute drive north of downtown Playa del Carmen in a quiet and gorgeous stretch of beach. This is a place where amenities make the difference. Dining is sophisticated and exquisite. The pool offers an original setting. Even the Spa offers a nice collection of luxury treatments.

room

Design and décor is upscale with some tropical and Mexican touches, but in a decisively contemporary style. There are six different categories of rooms and each one has a unique feeling that conveys its own personality. For example, the Master Suite enjoys a gorgeous hardwood floor and wide balcony with great pool and ocean views, while the Beachfront Villas have their own ground floor terrace with lounge chairs and a stylish plunge pool or outdoor Jacuzzi.

YOU SHOULD KNOW A hotel of this category shouldn’t charge an extra fee for Wi-Fi. That’s a given these days and it reflects badly on the management.

bathroom

Long and narrow bathrooms, where the shower is covered by stained-glass doors and the toilet has its own private space too. The sinks come in unusually long countertops, some are double but most suites have only one sink. The bathrooms enjoy the same upscale design than the rest of the hotel and are quite enjoyable areas.

lobby

The lobby of Le Reve is a wide palapa with stylish hardwood floor and a few comfy sofas scattered here and there. Just a nice, fresh area designed to welcome guests and deal with check-ins and check-outs.

pool

The white floor and walls of the pool gives its water the turquoise blue color so characteristic of the Caribbean Sea. There are a couple of palm-tree islands and some underwater loungers. A nice wooden deck and comfy loungers surround the pool, while the infinity edge of the pool looks directly to the beach.

spa

Even when the place is called Le Reve Hotel & Spa, the Spa part is a bit underwhelming. The designated area to deliver the Spa services is just a big white room with a couple of massage beds and little else. The Spa and the Kids’ Club seem to be the only two spots where the overall good design of the hotel is lacking.

dining

Either you get the all-inclusive package or the non-inclusive European plan, you will enjoy the gourmet delicacies served at a la carte restaurant Merlot. A fusion of international and Mayan-inspired cuisine, the gastronomic experience is high-end. For a less sophisticated snack you can always try the poolside Snack Bar.

Ask the staff to pamper you taking your meal either to your room or to your sunbathing spot at the beach. You can also request to have an original barbecue by the beach.

drinking

Make sure to visit the walk-in wine cellar to personally choose a bottle from their international collection of top-quality wines. For the traditional tropical cocktail, you can visit either the well-equipped sports bar or the ocean front bar which offers a nice bar with stools overlooking the beach.