Hotel Santa Teresa

Hotel Playa Carmen opened in 2010 and if not for the colorful murals of jungle, surfing, or mountains scenes painted on the walls, it would seem like a tired Costa Rican Holiday Inn. The architecture is boxy, the grounds slightly run down (although they're slated for a big renovation) and overall, it feels generic. The hotel’s rancho (or thatch-roof gazebo) is missing thatching and probably used to be a bar. Rather than serve drinks though, its been repurposed to protect a speaker system that bumps loud music all day long. The hotel’s freshwater pool is surrounded by fake grass and the shallow soaking tub is a nice plus after a day in the ocean. Next to the pool are plastic lounge chairs and a tired covered pergola with a rocky floor and hammocks. Hotel Playa Carmen would be a decent place to crash for a night (maybe two), but for a longer stay, it’s a better bet to find one of the many Santa Teresa hotels with more character and ambience. Not surprisingly, the hotel attracts a wide variety of guests of all ages and from throughout the world. 

Hotel Playa Carmen's super-convenient location is a three-minute walk from Playa Carmen Beach, which is a great spot for sunsets and has one of the few beachfront bar/restaurants in Santa Teresa. Within a two-minute walk of the hotel are a pharmacy, bank, ATM, coffee shop, Costa Rican restaurant, and an ice cream shop. There’s also a taxi stand just a two-minute walk from the hotel. The nearest grocery store is five minutes away on foot. Santa Teresa Beach, another gorgeous and popular surf beach, is a 10-minute walk from Playa Carmen. Reaching other sights will require wheels, and the sleepy fishing village of Mal Pais is a 10-minute drive from the hotel. Montezuma, a backpacker hub with amazing beaches is a 35-minute drive away. Tambor Airport is the nearest and is a 45-minute drive from Playa Carmen. From there it’s either a 25-minute flight to Liberia, or 20-minute flight to San Jose. Alternately, the drive from Liberia to the hotel takes four hours. 

Rooms at Hotel Playa Carmen are a mix of air-conditioned Standard Rooms, Deluxe Rooms, and Suites -- some with ocean views. The Standard Rooms are decorated in muted, neutral tones and the ground floor units near the pool are dark. This category is also the most worn and in need of an overhaul. Expect queen beds with mustard-yellow bedspreads and hardwood lattice headboards in Standard Rooms, plus murals of tree branches on the wall. All rooms have either private balconies or patios but watch out -- the ground-floor patios can be loud from the pool music. Some patios also have hammocks. Deluxe Rooms are the most sophisticated, with king or queen beds, cow-hide rugs and framed mirrors, and leather-wrapped lamps. 

All rooms have standalone wardrobes, flat-screen TVs with cable channels, Cuisinart coffee makers with free coffee, safes, armchairs, and mini-fridges. Bathrooms feature granite counters, glass walled stand-up showers with rainfall showerheads and separate sprayers. Toiletries are provided. The bathrooms are nice, but we noticed rust on some of the hardware. Most rooms also have hairdryers and phones (that connect to reception). All rooms include free Wi-Fi.

Amenities at Hotel Playa Carmen are pretty limited, but the top offering is definitely the freshwater pool and its small wading pool. Near the pool are a few plastic lounge chairs, and there’s also a handful of hammocks under a tired pergola (with views of a jungle scene mural). The hotel can arrange tours, taxis, ATVs, car, and bicycle rentals, shuttles, bus tickets, and flights. Another perk is the on-site generator for uninterrupted 24-hour power. There’s free parking and free Wi-Fi is available throughout Hotel Playa Carmen.