The Best All Inclusive Resorts in Playa del Carmen (2023)

Palmaïa, The House of AïA, is a very highly rated wellness retreat in a private corner of Playacar Beach, Playa del Carmen. It only opened its doors in late 2019 but, despite this woefully unlucky timing, it has quickly created a buzz on the Riviera Maya and beyond. Eco-friendly vegan wellness might seem a tricky thing for an all inclusive resort to pull off, and vice versa, but Palmaïa, The House of AïA has married the two to great effect. It offers ‘holistic activities and healing experiences based on ancestral rituals and practices, promoting balance and reconnection between oneself and Nature,‘ something they summarize as ‘Progressive Wellness.’ Palmaïa has 314 guest rooms, so neither too big nor too small, four restaurants, a food truck, a beach bar (on its fully private beach), four outdoor pools, a wonderful jungle spa and a 24-hour fitness center. Holistic activities are a huge focus here and the whole experience can be quite magical. More conventional resort activities  are also available (and guests can also use the facilities of the larger Sandos Playacar Resort next door). The food here is exceptional, and mainly, though not entirely, vegan. It has undoubtedly among the best vegan food on the Riviera Maya, and remember again that it’s an all inclusive. Palmaïa attracts a well heeled, hippie chic crowd–more Tulum than Cancun–and a mix of couples, families, groups of friends and single people. You’ll find much higher proportion of the latter here than in most resorts in Riviera Maya, and a higher proportion of younger people in general. Those with a sensitive stomach for Bobo pretentiousness though should be warned that private butlers are referred to as ‘Nomadic Guides’, and that’s just one example! Accommodation: Accommodation is in the form of luxury suites, spread across four fairly conventional looking, five-story buildings, to sleep from one adult to a maximum of two adults and three kids. These include on the swim up suites at ground level (obviously!), and some stunning ocean view master suites on the top floor. All suites are spacious, stylish and well appointed, Palmaïa is a luxury resort after all. Standards include King or Queen size beds, READ MORE

Royal Hideaway Playacar is a 5 Star all inclusive for adults only in Playa del Carmen that is a low key, classy antidote to the many high energy all inclusives of the Riviera Maya. It has 6 gourmet restaurants, all a la carte, 3 bars, 6 pools, a full service spa, fitness center, numerous land and water sports facilities and a gorgeous stretch of white sand beach among its attractions. It can get lively but it’s not a party resort. The upmarket clientele are mainly looking to relax and the atmosphere is laid back friendly. Accommodation: Royal Hideaway Playacar has 201 old colonial style rooms in various semi-identical low rise buildings surrounded by lush foliage. Check out all your options here at Expedia.com.  All are elegant, beautifully furnished and with luxury hotel amenities like cable TV, free minibars, safes, coffeemakers, music stations, air-con. None are supremely spacious though all come with some outside space – a patio or balcony, and have very plush marble bathrooms with spa baths. Prices: Enter dates and compare prices at Booking.com here and at Expedia.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: The food at Royal Hideaway Playacar is very highly rated. It’s a 5 Star hotel with a fairly sophisticated clientele so expectations may be high from the start but few people come away disappointed. There are no buffets here, all is a la carte. The one drawback to this here it seems is that the restaurants are busy and reservations are required for all except one, though you have 24 hour room service and the bars serve food too. Most have quite formal dining areas and three have formal dress codes – Las Ventanas, Azia and Palazzo. Las Ventanas is open for dinner only and has a chef’s table where guests have front row seats at the cooking station and can chat with the chef. There is an extra charge for this and it will need to be booked in advance. Palazzo is another stylish venue serving Italian, again for dinner only. The award winning Azia does Asian fusion – Thai and Japanese mainly. Spices does some great Mexican and in a lovely READ MORE

Valentin Imperial Maya is a 5 Star, adults-only all inclusive in Playa del Carmen’s exclusive Playa del Secreto. A resort we judge to be the best value adults only resort in Playa del Carmen. This beach it sits beside is gorgeous–Playa del Secreto is one of the most beautiful sand beaches in Mexico. The resort also has, among its attractions, three pools, including one of the largest resort pools in the country, a lazy river, seven restaurants (none of which require reservations), seven bars (with premium alcohol all inclusive) including two swim up bars, a theater and a full service spa and gym. It’s a luxury resort and attracts an upmarket crowd. The atmosphere is one of relaxed contentment, the food and drink are great, and the service levels fantastic. Accommodation: They have 540 suites in various price levels and ranging in size from 516 square feet to 1,032 square feet. Many have lovely ocean views, some look out over the jungle or pools, and some are ground floor swim-up. The main market at Valentin Imperial is couples and so almost all the suites come with a single king-size bed. Some though do have a choice of one king-size, or two doubles to sleep four. All have seating/lounging areas inside and furnished balconies, patios or terraces. The bathrooms are spacious and luxurious looking, and well equipped–all come with large jetted bathtubs and separate showers for example. Some of the top suites also feature whirlpool baths on their private terraces. Overall the furniture and fittings are nice but could in some cases do with updating. We are pleased to report that as of February 2022 the process has already begun. Other hotel perks include satellite smart TV, coffee/tea stations (either filter coffee machines or Nespresso) mini bars, and Valentin Imperial Maya own brand own brand luxury toiletries. Prices: Check out all the price details at Booking.com here and at Expedia.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: The food is excellent at Valentin Imperial Maya. The main buffet venue is Le Marche for breakfast and lunch, with the casual beachfront Mar & Tierra also having buffet selections. There are also a READ MORE