Encanto Riviera

Location: Calle 10 entre Av 25 y Av 20 Col. Centro, Playa del Carmen, mx

Star Rating: 8.4 Stars

Property Type: Hotels

About this Property

Important Information

Policies

Check-in: 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM

Check-out: 12:00 AM

Amenities & Facilities

• Non-smoking rooms
• Air conditioning
• Swimming pool
• Terrace
• Family rooms
• Non-smoking throughout
• Invoice provided
• Free wired internet
• Pool sun loungers
• Internet access
• Exercise/lap pool
• Japanese garden
• Swimming nearby
• Rooftop garden

Rooms Available

• One-Bedroom Apartment

  This spacious apartment comes with 1 living room, 1 separate bedroom and 1 bathroom with a shower and free toiletries. The well-fitted kitchen has a refrigerator, kitchenware, an oven and a microwave. This air-conditioned apartment includes a dining area, a flat-screen TV with cable channels a tea and coffee maker and a terrace. The unit has 1 bed.

  Max Occupancy: 3 (2 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • TV
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Kitchenette
  • Refrigerator
  • Seating Area
  • Fan
  • Toilet
  • Microwave
  • Private bathroom
  • Kitchen
  • Sofa
  • Tile/marble floor
  • Dining area
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Oven
  • Toaster
  • Coffee machine
  • Terrace
  • Linen
  • Dining table
  • Upper floors accessible by elevator
  • Private apartment in building
  • Toilet paper
  • Pool towels
  • Trash cans
  • Shampoo
  • Body soap
  • Accessible by lift
  • Smoke alarm
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Key card access

• Two-Bedroom Apartment

  Meals can be prepared in the well-fitted kitchen, which comes with a refrigerator, kitchenware, an oven and a microwave. The spacious apartment provides air conditioning, a tea and coffee maker, a terrace with city views as well as a private bathroom featuring a shower.

  Max Occupancy: 5 (4 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • TV
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Kitchenette
  • Refrigerator
  • Seating Area
  • Fan
  • Toilet
  • Microwave
  • Private bathroom
  • Kitchen
  • Sofa
  • Tile/marble floor
  • Dining area
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Oven
  • Toaster
  • Coffee machine
  • Terrace
  • Linen
  • Dining table
  • Upper floors accessible by elevator
  • Private apartment in building
  • Toilet paper
  • Pool towels
  • Trash cans
  • Shampoo
  • Body soap
  • Accessible by lift
  • Smoke alarm
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Key card access

• Family Room with Terrace

  In the kitchen, guests will find a refrigerator, kitchenware, an oven and a microwave. The spacious family room features air conditioning, a tea and coffee maker, a terrace with city views as well as a private bathroom boasting a shower. The unit has 3 beds.

  Max Occupancy: 6 (6 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • TV
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Kitchenette
  • Refrigerator
  • Seating Area
  • Fan
  • Toilet
  • Microwave
  • Private bathroom
  • Kitchen
  • Sofa
  • Tile/marble floor
  • Dining area
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Oven
  • Toaster
  • Coffee machine
  • Terrace
  • Linen
  • Dining table
  • Upper floors accessible by elevator
  • Private apartment in building
  • Toilet paper
  • Pool towels
  • Trash cans
  • Shampoo
  • Body soap
  • Accessible by lift
  • Smoke alarm
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Key card access

Guest Reviews

• san (9/5): -
• Marvin (10/5): Prima - Groot appartement met aparte slaapkamer. Groot bed. Aparte airco voor slaapkamer en woonkamer. Grote bruikbare keuken. Balkon. Weinig info bij inchecken. Schoonmaak was na 3 van de 4 dagen, eigenlijk net voor de weg gingen. Er is niets om zelf schoon te maken of af te wassen in de keuken, zoals een doekje, spons en afwasmiddel. Parkeren is betaald, of gratis bij Walmart
• Katharina (1/5): Reinfall! - Es hat niemand geöffnet und ich konnte nicht einchecken. Es hat auch niemand auf Nachrichten reagiert!
• Lizbeth (10/5): Me encantó - Todo muy lindo, espacioso, súper céntrico Ciertas cositas que mejorar en cuanto a limpieza
• Andrea (10/5): - El acceso a la pisicina desde el depto Muy poco papel higiénico para 3 noches, 1 rollo.
• Nallely (5/5): Fin de semana... - La cercanía pues tiene un walmart a unas cuadras, cerca del centro, a unas cuantas de la terminal de autobuses. Desde mi llegada la persona que me.atendio no sabia nada de lo que tenia que rellenar,y prácticamente yo tuve que realizar mi registro a mi llegada e incluso cobrarme en la terminal ya que la persona no sabía usarla y yo no llevaba efectivo, no habia toallas de alberca, el colchón era bastante incomodo y duro, el área del roof dejaba mucho que desear ya que se veía muy descuidada la alberca, el baño del roof tenía sarro, cuando realice mi check out no hubo nadie y solo deje mis llaves, algunas cosas se veían viejas
• MARCO ANTONIO (8/5): -
• Markus (9/5): comfortable, covenient, - very nice apartment, comfortable beds, large living room excellent pool & relax deck super nice people serving the apartments, around for any questions very convenient location, close to Walmart and Spanish Super-Markes many restaurant, local food and streetstands, coffee shops 5th Street max 10mn easy walk none
• Markus (10/5): -
• Erika (10/5): - Muy bonito y cómodo el departamento, necesitábamos un hotel cerca del ado, por lo que resultó muy bien ubicado, también está cerca de la plaza y de supermercados. la cocina está equipada.. No usamos la alberca pero se veía limpia y tranquila. No había jabón para platos para dejar lavados los platos que usamos. Sería bueno que incluyera algo para limpiar como una escoba, trapeador y recogedor en caso de que algo se cayera o meter arena. En realidad todo me encantó.
• Aviv (10/5): The absolute best! - BIG appartement, superb location, one of the best! A fully functional apartment, super comfy, huge bed. 2 minutes walk from walmart, mega, ADO, the main street and local groceries like oxxo etc. The host is very nice and responsive. This place actually feels like home😊. Honestly, the best place I've been in a long time and the value for the money you spend is absolutely phenomenal! We didn't get cleaning equipment like dishsoap, sponge etc.
• mouso (10/5): - La atención del personal . Las instalaciones ubicación todo
• Elsa (10/5): Fascinante - Absolutamente todo está increíble, el lugar súper seguro, excelente administrador. La ubicación ni se diga está todo céntrico y a unas cuadras de la 5ta avenida Que no pude disfrutar más 😃
• Joseph (10/5): - I've stayed here many times over many years. Don't expect luxury but its a great clean place to stay with nice size units and with excellent friendly staff.
• Ivonne Alonso (10/5): - La ubicación
• tiki (10/5): - Everything was great Stuff was helpful and kind Location is great,close to everything Just I wish it was everyday cleaning But overall we love it and def highly recommend
• Glenn (8/5): - The rooms are very nice, but the main property needs a little TLC. Elevator didn't work for the first few days.
• Ronald (2/5): Bad business - I booked and paid to stay here. After a day of flights and bus travel I finally arrived exhausted to have them tell me that they have no rooms. I had even walked there with my luggage from the bus station. They didn’t seem to care.
• Robert (2/5): - We booked as a flight and room package. When we arrived, there was no room. Horrible situation and staff were not very concerned or helpful :(
• Arthur (10/5): - Near Quinta Avenida and Calle Constituyentes, this property is wonderful ! Very modern and spacious and clean. Easy walk to everything in Playa Del Carmen. I love the Acapulco style chairs!
• Drew (1/5): Bad -
• Adam (10/5): Exceptional -
• Viktoria (10/5): Exceptional - The property is located close to ADO, Mega Soriyana, Wall Mart, walking distance to 10th and 5th Street, many restaurants around, close to the beach. The Condo is very comfortable, with the big kitchen, where I could cook, it had the balcony, and the pool on the roof. Very clean, staff was very friendly, Israel , the manager of the property was very helpful and he could communicate with me in good English.
• Julissa (3/5): Poor - Location The condo's air conditioner didn't work in one of the bedrooms. The pool was dirty. Staff wasn't available at all times and promised solutions and didn't follow through!
• Stacy (10/5): Great price! Spacious and good location - What a nice surprise. Had to grab a place in PDC at last minute due to hurricane. Wasn't expecting much for the cost, but way exceeded expectations. And that's coming from a very picky person. Front desk staff were great and helpful and the condo was large and clean. Great location walkable to 5th Ave.
• Thomas (3/5): Won’t be back - Large room The safe required fixing that took 7 days house keeping was to be every 4 days, was 7 days and had to beg for toilet paper and clean towels, the pool was slimy on the bottom other residents actually cleaned the pool , windows to the hallway didn’t lock at start of visit so had to jam knives in frame to secure, repairs came 4 days later the patio beams were rotten and falling apart, light in Shower/ bathroom burnt out advised management and never was repaired during our visit, vanity in both bathrooms were water damaged and doors ajar , with the garbage contained in kitchen, had to ask management to remove when full, damaged chairs by the pool
• Ronald (9/5): Large apartment with great views, - Centrally located Close to food and shopping Small gym and rooftop pool Pool needed a good brushing and vacuuming.
• Robb (5/5): Stay elsewhere. - Location was pretty good, close to the centre of town. The condo itself was lovely. Other aspects, not so much. Checkin was unpleasant. The employee told me that the host charges a 4% fee for using their card machine, credit OR debit. I was trying to pay with debit and refused to pay the fee. I ended up paying in cash after the host said I could leave if I didn’t pay it. The young employees were unhelpful and disinterested throughout our 6-night stay. The furniture was sparse and uncomfortable. The bed was hard, only sheets provided and inadequate number of pillows. Staff provided a blanket only after request; no duvets, no extra pillows. Kitchen wasn’t useful for cooking in that it lacked tools; only for minor prep. No means to wash dishes, soap, dishcloths, basin. The large living room had one part of a fake leather sectional sofa - which your skin stuck to - and a coffee table. Nothing else. The TV was very hard to hear because the speaker was broken. . There was a round table and 4 chairs for dining and a couple of plastic Adirondacks on the deck. There was no maid service throughout our stay or any offer of fresh towels.
• Kevin (10/5): Amazing time and definitely booking there again - Location and the suite were beautiful. Staff are excellent. More toilet paper
• Mike (8/5): Very good -
• Francisco (9/5): Superb - facilities and staff its around the bus station and they start anouning the rides and its to load
• Lorena (4/5): There are better properties for $290/night CAD. - spacious safe well located to the bank, grocery stores, 5th Ave and the beach The bed frame was broken. My husband had to help try to fix it with the staff and then move it out and a new frame in. There was no dish soap or extra toilet paper. Housekeeping was a day late and we were taking out our own garbage. After the first 2 out of 7 nights, there was sewer gas smell that accumulated through the night in the bathrooms. We tried to plug the drains but it just bubbled out of the toilet and staff said it must be coming from next door. There was no hairdryer despite being promised one. The proximity to the ADO bus station meant noisy announcements until after midnight. The tiles were falling off in the shower and in the pool and towel hooks were falling off the wall. it was too much to spend on a property that was ill tended to.
• JULIO CESAR (6/5): - When we first got there the condo had a funky smell. The bed sheets were not changed before getting there, and there was dirt on them. Also the internet was not working, and the tv was not functioning. There is no provided blankets only sheets. Everything else was fine and had a good time.
• Samir (5/5): Poor service. Boy at reception spoiled the whole experience. - Nice big clean room. Was knocking on the locked front door for 10 mins in the rain. Could see reception desk but no-one was there. Then another guest let me in. He said the boy at reception was fixing his motorbike in the basement.. Sure enough he was down there - while I had been standing outside in the rain. No apology. Very poor.
• Joseph (10/5): Exceptional -
• Kavmeister (9/5): Great apartment, with few improvements could be even better - Location is perfect - walking distance to centre of 5a Av, far away enough to be quiet, supermarket around the corner, Walmart on next street. Room was enormous, very comfortable apartment big enough for a family, great air conditioning. Good facilities in the apartment - fridge freezer, microwave, coffee machine, smart TV. Good facilities in the building - rooftop pool, elevator. No option to pay in advance and extra charge for paying by card on arrival. Staff friendly but speak no English so they can only provide limited support. WiFi great but only in the room, nothing in lobby or hallways or terrace. No toaster or kettle in the room, private staircase to roof was locked and no key available. Water stopped working for whole building one day, was only noticed when I flagged it, had to leave for the day while it was resolved.
• Karina (10/5): Exceptional - perfect location , perfect apartment .
• Eyal (10/5): Exceptional - Good price for value Little hard to check in...
• Edda (9/5): Superb -
• Kathleen (6/5): Just a few small investments would make it perfect! - Like closeness to bus station as my bus arrived very late only thing Booking has wrong address so took awhile to find place was very clean night security guard do best he could with orientation etc The pillows were the worst ever lumpy bed is extra firm the AC unit in the middle of the night started dripping water which scared me as it is located above the head of the bed the ac control was not for that unit so no way to shut it off TG there was a blanket the worse part the curtains are sheer so the neon lit adverts from the businesses across the way shine into your room all night long! See my photo With an investment of less than what I psid this room could have comfortable king size down pillows from Liverpool black out curtains (owner look on mercado libre that is where I another hotel owner find my stuff I can’t believe the pillows in my dormatory are more comfortable and better quality and the curtains too here at my 15 us/ night hostel bed than this upscale place!
• Mcfadzean (8/5): Very good -
• Monica (10/5): LOVE THE PLACE - FRIENDLY STAFF CLOSE TO CENTER NO ELEECTRICITY IN THE POOL
• Sofia (9/5): Superb -
• Glenis (6/5): Pleasant - I book on booking for 6 persons and when i arrive they charge me more for the other two persons The room
• Virginia (7/5): Spacious and clean room - Clean and very spacious flat, close to the centre. Good wifi We were given the room more than 2 hours after the confirmed check in time, pool very dirty that couldn't be used
• Adam (9/5): Superb - Hotel a bit old, but still good and suitable for vacation. Super central location (shops, food, playground, beach, bus station...)! Rooms facing ADO bus station a bit noisy, all other rooms quiet. Internet good or slow depending on the room. Rooftop pool area is good, otherwise the roof is half a construction site. Friendly staff, discount when you extend your stay. Overall, however, to be recommended!
• Bonitatravelblog (8/5): Good stay, few negatives - Nice condo and very central. We stayed in appartement 23. We had a lovely stay, the condo is in the center but be did not have the noise of the center. There is a nice rooftop pool and a place to BBQ on the roof. Unfortunately, there were not many sunbeds on the rooftop. The furniture on the rooftop was also not clean and regularly broken. Big disappointment of the apartment. There wasn't even toilet paper or soap when we arrived. I travel quite a lot but I've never experienced that! The kitchen was also not fully equipped, for if you want to cook yourself. There weren't even tea towels! Also only 1 pair of keys for an apartment that can accommodate 4 people. That's not handy. Make sure the key box works and then 1 pair of keys is no problem. Furthermore, we had a nice stay.
• 219reubenl (6/5): Recent Stay at Encanto Riviera - We stayed with some friends at this hotel. We found it very clean and the staff was friendly but did not speak a lot of English. The pool area was a little disappointing as the chairs and shelter from the sun was limited. And for true Canadians, there were to many frogs.
• muller14 (8/5): A great large apartment - The building is just a short walk from the main tourist streets and the public beach. There are 2 main supermarkets within a short walk of the building, both Mega & Walmart, plus there is an Oxxo & Circle K almost next door. So the location is great, although there is a bus station across the road, so can hear announcements through out the night. The apartment we had (29) is huge a 2 bed, 2 bath, 2 balcony with large area for lounge, diner and kitchenette, 3 A/C units, with internal stairs up to the roof terrace with access to the swimming pool and bar-be-que area. The kitchenette included an electric hob, a microwave, fridge freezer, blender, toaster and coffee machine. Did have an issue with the sink, but that was fixed straight away. Found the apartment comfortable and a perfect base for our travels out and about. The pool is smaller than the pictures imply and the sun loungers are dated and brittle, but are usable if careful! Wifi was speedy.
• turskma (6/5): Fine for what we needed but a bit disappointing - We stayed at Encanto for 11 days while we searched for places to live. (we recently moved to Playa) At first I did not like the location but later realized it was perfect for us as it allowed us to learn the area and it was close to the park where we could walk our dog. The entire staff was fantastic and made us feel at home. I was disappointed with the actual building features as I'm sure when it was new it would have been amazing, but, years of wear and tear have worn on things at Encanto. The Rooftop pool had only one working lounge chair, all the others were broken, the kitchen burners for cooking did not heat up to cooking temperatures, there were no microwaveable containers available even though there was a microwave. Our idea of an equipped kitchen verses theirs was measurably different. There was a leak in the bathroom which they repaired right away but I got the sense that the staff is working with bear bones minimum support and funding to maintain the building and get things back to above average. I also think they can turn things around but need to be aware that they need to invest into basics again. Great people, good location, dog friendly but worn down amenities.
• Shanick07 (8/5): Great service! - We stayed for five days in room 4. We used the kitchen everyday, and that saved some money. Also, it is very convenient to have Walmart and Soriana couple blocks away to buy water, groceries, etc. The bus terminal ADO is across the street. The house keeping did a great job. My children loved the swimming pool, and just in case they provide beach towels; just make sure you don't lose them, or you pay $20 dollars per towel. The person at the reception was very helpful I think his name is Ivan at 3:00 a.m he opened the door for us, and he always was very attentive. I will definitely recommend this place.
• susanpW9174FS (8/5): Once again a very pleasant stay in a spacious, cleanroom - comfortable room. No issues other than the faucets need replacing on our unit. The pool was clean except one day when a party used too much sunscreen and decided to wash it off on the pool - shut it down for extensive cleaning and beer bottle removal.Rooms are quiet except for when the church bells are ringing, beds are comfortable, ac works great. This was our second time staying with the Encanto and planning dates for next year. (PS to the staff, thank you for the professional attitude on handling the issue in the early morning hours of June 29th. We were grateful for your compassion and concern for your guests. We know you were not responsible for the actions of a guest and were extremely concerned about the welfare of your other guests and staff members. We love your establishment and look forward to seeing you next year. Jay and Susan. Suite 20 this year. 108 and moved to 109 when ac malfunctioned last year.
• 741kathec (8/5): Good place - We stayed there with 7 people for 7 days, we paid extra for both of them in pesos. The place was spacious and clean. We had a few issues with the toilet and the pressure of the showers but they fixed it right away. We also booked a few tours with them which were cheaper than booking online. The cleaning crew came every other day which was really nice and the staff was very friendly and helpful. The only downside is that there is only one room key so with a big group we had to leave it at the front desk for when we got separated, so a general tip: always keep all valuables and money in the safe. Overall the hotel was great and clean, and walking distance to everything.
• walterd521 (8/5): Encanto - Spacious rooms. Pool upstairs, few blocks from the action. ADO Bus depot is right across the street. Convenient to get to the airport. But adds some noise to the area. Otherwise it is a good place to stay.
• jorgegW6731NC (8/5): Last minute trip - Decided to stay in at place at the last minute, glad we did, good price, staff is very friendly and helpful, rooms are very big and clean.. would definitely stay here again! Walking distance from the beach and all restaurants/clubs
• Jukka86 (8/5): Comfortable apartment hotel in Playa del Carmen - Rooms are really spacious and clean in this apartment hotel. Location is pretty good; 400 meters to the walking street and about 600 meters to the beach. The hotel staff were helpful and they speak english. Wifi worked perfectly in our room and at the pool. Rooftop pool was nice. An extra bed costs 30 USD per night. Soundproof in the rooms could have been a little better. Good value for money anyway.
• reymoore21 (8/5): Encanto Riviera a Quality Choice - The hotel has apartments which include a spacious living area equipped with a full kitchen, flat screen TV, dinning area and table, and a bath and a half. One of the best features is the location; near Walmart, ADO Bus Terminal, and about 4 blocks from the beach and 5th Avenue. The staff aimed to please by attending to our every request. Security is favorable with a 24 hour front desk attendant. The A/C was supplemented in the bedroom and living room with quiet ceiling fans to create a comfortable environment. Here's a tip: book you room directly, ask for a quote, then comparison shop. That will save you some money. I visit the area annually and will put this hotel on my list of choices.
• Drasanislas (8/5): Affordable and convenient - We rented a 2 bedroom apartment. It has all the basic commodities, you can go grocery shopping and have breakfast and dinner there. It’s just like having your own condo. It’s only 4 blocks from the beach and 3 blocks to 5th Avenue. The service is very good. Front desk very friendly.
• DidierWes (10/5): Great Location.Good Quality/price. - The Encanto Riviera Condo is well located (close to the Walmart, diving Center and the 5th Avenue). The apartment has a good size, well-furnished and the housekeeping is made every 2 days. The staff (Rodrigo and Daniel) are very professional and help you every time you need something. The bad point is the quality of the wi-fi which was very weak and the state of the chairs at the pool. Close to the Encanto Riviera, you may find lots of restaurants, salad bars, mini-supermarket… The staff organized us a pick up and drop up at the airport and the taxi was always on time. I’ll certainly recommend this hotel.
• BMarr2015 (2/5): UNTRUSTWORTHY. Took cash AND charged same amount on card. - IF ASKED FOR CASH to cover booking room ALWAYS ASK FOR A RECEIPT!!!!! We didn't and though i thought we had already payed our booking through booking.com but couldn't see the amount on my card, we did pay again in cash. Silly, we are. Trying to get £185 back is going to be difficult without a receipt of which i do not have. Location was good.
• rolfo2013 (6/5): Number 15 - stay of 8 days - WLAN is a problem // otherwise very nice - Negative: --- Internet poor or not working at all on few days // ABSOLUTE NO GO -- no really hot water which made dish washing a little difficult - but ok - only one frying pan which is in bad shape - made it difficult to cook scrambled eggs for breakfast Positive: ++ very large flat with lot of space + nice bedrooms, large as well + big fridge for the stuff we bought in Walmart ++ good location - near a large Walmart, only few minutes from center + good clima in all rooms if needed - we did not any more after a few days We rented the appartment via AirBnB / would not rent anymore unless Internet/WLAN is fixed !! Unfortunately a no go for us as otherwise the flat is very nice !!
• smkf (8/5): Felt like home with friends that help if needed. - Loved the staff. Very knowledgeable about running the hotel. Could answer all questions we had. Close to bus station and groceries. Taxi's everywhere and a 8 minute walk to the collectivo stop. The couches and chairs in the living area are very uncomfortable. The grout in the shower needs to be looked into. The stove is old but works well and the fry pans need to be thrown out and replaced. No drain stopper in kitchen sink. Don't let that throw you off at all. Small issues we handled. No big deal, otherwise the hotel was wonderful. If you like to pay 5 star prices go ahead but we have saved on this trip so we can go on another really soon. Housekeeping every other day was great
• raymondbisaillon (8/5): Good value - We had a pleasant 5 night stay in playa del carmen. 10 minute walk to the beach, numerous restaurants nearby. Go to the Walmart or Mega grocery stores for bottled water, cereal, fruit etc. El Galinero French Bakery 2 minutes from the apartment offers great coffee and pastry Rodrigo, Daniel and Daniella were all fantastic at the front desk in assisting us with transportation, tours, ordering pizza 🍕 etc
• DigitalCreator (8/5): Nice spacious condo, needs updating maintenance - We love the Playa area. Been coming here for a few years now and like the general 'vibe' of the small city. We like being off of the busy Fifth Avenue and closer to the small shops and restaurants we are now so fond of. The condo is like most small condos in the area... shops (now closed and empty) along the ground floor and the apts. on the floors over top, pool on the rooftop. The entrance is small, located halfway on the 10th block, by two aluminum grille doors. At first i was alarmed with all the "closed" signs put up by the Mexican Finance Ministry on the lower shops doors, and there was one on the Encanto's door as well. The staff at Encanto explained that the Ministry accidentally put it on their door when they closed the shops and were waiting for the officials to take it down. So, don't be alarmed it it is still up there! Nobody was at the reception desk for quite a long time, and other guests that had arrived before us were already waiting. Eventually we got our assigned room (#34) and key and "the checklist"... I had never experienced such a thing before... we went through the items on the list... knives, spoons, cups, plants, some items were missing, other items were bizarrely mislabelled and some were a mystery. We corrected the missing odds and ends and finally with the help of the front desk figured out a "lifter" was a spatula, but there wasn't a spatula there, so they said the potato masher that WAS in the drawer must be it.... ??? lol... and a side note, the chef's knife and pairing knife were absolutely dull. Bring a sharpener if you are like me and require your cutlery to be irresponsibly sharp! The living/dining/kitchen was spacious and open concept modern styling for the most part. The kitchen had an apt sized fridge freezer, microwave, coffee maker, blender, toaster and stovetop. Stovetop was dirty, but was easily cleaned and the cupboards and drawers were in tired shape and appeared to be of very low quality. White leather, cheaply made loveseat and sofa (with fold out bed) were uncomfortable and would stick to skin like a bandage. Bed was very firm (I like that though) common for the region, pillows were large and very puffy with little support. Not the worst, but far from the best bed I've slept in. The noise from the street, bus terminal and the nearby clock tower bell came through the windows like they were open. Be warned! This is a very noisy room. I am usually a heavy sleeper and even I needed earplugs. The condo had two washrooms, one powder room off of the living room and one two piece off of the bedroom. Water pressure was good, hot water was fast to arrive and stayed hot. Water had a strong sulfur smell, but that is typical for the city. If you have not been to an "off resort" locale, you may not be used to this next bit... after availing ones self of the toilet you must place the wiping paper into the waste basket and NOT into the toilet bowl. The sewage systems in the small cities are not adequate to handle it. The cleaning staff is there every second day and it will not stink up the place, honestly. Again, the cabinetry, fixtures and mirrors were very worn and needed replacement. The room we had also gave access to a rooftop area via stairs from our front hall. This are may have been something at one time, but it no longer is of any attraction, just a roof. Other suites had thatched gazebos and sitting areas, ours had nothing but two plastic loungers and chairs. This was no matter for us as we would use the roof pool area where there were four loungers, a sunbed and a table (not nearly enough room or sitting for the guests) Also, I should note there was no direct access from our roof area to the pool area without some mild parkour involved. Pool was smaller than assumed from the photos and quite cool, refreshing and the area was clean. Staff was friendly, not overly engaging, this isn't bad though as some visitors like to be private... front staff will happily engage in good conversation and help if you so need. Very happy and interesting people. I have some serious concerns though about the security awareness of the staff. Room keys are left more or less out in the open under a glass table, not locked away or even out of sight. Many times there wasn't any staff in the front desk hallway either. This was disconcerting enough on its own, but the staff had recommended to leave the keys with them when we go out on the town. I did not do that as i saw where they stored them. I am always security and protection oriented so this bothered me, your mind may differ. I might return to this location, knowing what I know and to be prepared. We would get a room away from the bus terminal and bring a sharpener. The value was ok for the money, but we come more for what is outside of the room more than the room itself. Peeking into other suites, we saw some very nicely appointed rooms, so it may just be luck of the draw.
• foodenthusiast1891 (10/5): Incredible apartment in Playa! - We rented an apartment here for 5 people and it was awesome. Our 100 square feet with 2 bedrooms, fully equipped kitchen and big living room and balcony. There was also a pool on the rooftop which we used a lot. Very good location also, a bit above the 5th ave street but still very close to the beach and all.

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