Luxury Hotels of the World: Hacienda Vista Real in Playa del Carmen

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Hacienda Vista Real in Playa del Carmen: Luxury Hotels of the World

Hacienda Vista Real in Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Address: Paseo Chichen Itza Ret 3 Lotes 12 y 13. Villas Pakal
Playacar, 77710 Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Awards: Best of Luxury Hotels in Mexico
Staff Helpfulness & Friendliness: 5/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
Room size: 4/5
Room Amenities: 5/5
Room and Bed Comfort: 5/5
View from Room: 5/5
Food Variety: 2/5
Food Quality: 1/5
Internet Service Quality: 4/5
Spa/Pool Cleanliness, Aesthetics: 5/5
Gym Cleanliness, Variety, Aesthetics: 5/5
Proximity to Other Points of Interest: 5/5
Valet Parking: No

Hacienda Vista Real in Playa del Carmen, Mexico is one of the only 5 star hotels in the area, and we greatly enjoyed our time here. Located inside the Riviera Maya, along with one of my favorite places to visit Tulum (read my Guide to Tulum here, and see 20 of the best places to eat in Tulum here!), Playa del Carmen, and Hacienda Vista Real are great places to set up a “home base” for exploring the Riviera Maya. The hotel is outfitted with massive thatched roofing or terra cotta shingles, and has yellow washed stucco walls and modern Yucatan decor, this hotel provides guests with a beautiful glimpse into the posh lifestyle of Mexico’s well-to-do, and affluent expats.

The staff didn’t speak much English, but since my Spanish is quite good it wasn’t a problem. Everything in the hotel was exceptionally clean, comfortable, and uniquely decorated, and the staff were ready to help us with whatever we needed, whether it was booking excursions, getting directions to our day trips, or finding places to eat nearby, they were always happy to help.

The hotel is situated inside an affluent expat neighborhood, and right on a golf course. Amenities include a gym, pool, hot tubs and spa area, massages, and a swim-up bar. They also had free parking, free wi-fi, and a complimentary airport shuttle, should you need one to the airport in Cancún, which is roughly a 45 minute drive away, or the airport in Cozumel 20 minutes away. We had a rental car, which gave us the freedom to explore the area on our terms, so we appreciated the complimentary parking, and the plethora of maps they provided us, which helped us navigate the area.

If you’re looking for things to do near the hotel, you can rent bicycles from the hotel to explore the upscale neighborhood nearby, or play a round of golf on the course. As I mentioned, there are lots of excursions you can sign up for nearby, and the outdoor pool is a great place to lounge and unwind after a long day of traveling, although the pool isn’t very large.

My only complaint about this hotel was the food, but if you don’t plan on eating there, I wouldn’t even consider this an issue. The food served here was very bland, and most of it had no flavor at all, which is the exact opposite of the food served in Tulum, so I recommend skipping their complimentary breakfast or add-on lunch or dinners, and heading elsewhere for better food. We stayed here at the end of our trip, and we were able to branch out and explore more of the Riviera Maya, which was gorgeous. Below is the distance from Hacienda Vista Real to some of my favorite places we visited in the Riviera Maya.

Day Trips from Playa del Carmen:

Chichen Itza Pyramid (2 hours 15 minutes)
Cobá (1 hour 30 minutes)
Gran Cenote Tulum (53 minutes)
Isla Mujeres (2 hours)
Mayan Ruins of Tulum (45 minutes)
Playa Aventuras (22 minutes)
Tulum (52 minutes)
Tulum National Park (45 minutes)
Xel-Há Park (37 minutes)

Overall, we had a wonderful time here, and it was a very affordable stay in a lovely 5-star hotel, in a great location. Our rooms were quiet (the website claims the rooms are soundproof, but neither of the rooms we were in were, however the hotel in general was quiet and guests were respectful of one another), housekeeping did a great job, and at one point when our air conditioning went out, they upgraded us to an even larger room within an hour, and had all of our things moved. The staff did an excellent job making us comfortable, and were excited that I could speak Spanish with them, so if you’re visiting and able to brush up on your Spanish beforehand, you just might find yourself in an upgraded room, or with a complimentary spa service.

Keep an eye out for my guide to Playa del Carmen & Cozumel, coming soon!