Acanto Hotel Playa del Carmen Trademark Collection by Wyndham is located between Cancun and the Mayan archaeological site of Tulum. Cancun International Airport (CUN) is 35 miles away and a 24/7 airport shuttle (for a fee) can bring you direct to Acanto. No need to rent a car as Playa del Carmen is a very walkable town. But if you chose to drive, it’s nice to know that free parking is available at the hotel.
Playa Del Carmen was once a sleepy town known for its sandy beaches, casual atmosphere, boutique stores, and friendly atmosphere. However, storms have washed away much of the sandy beaches over the years, and now it is a town more known for its snorkeling, diving, fishing charters, water activities like parasailing, seafood, and world-class dining.
Of course, there is the famous 5th Avenue (La Quinta Avenida), a pedestrian strip where you can find restaurants with many offering fresh seafood, lively beach clubs, nightclubs, bars, cigar stores, tequila tasting outlets, souvenir shops, and even international brand shopping at Quinta Alegria.
5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen
My fiancé and I chose to stay at Acanto Playa Del Carmen during January 2021 because of its excellent location and boutique qualities. For those unfamiliar with Trademark Collection by Wyndham, it is a “soft-branded collection of upper-midscale and above hotels that maintain their unique attributes.” Essentially, they are independent hotels in popular destinations that are individually unique.
The Acanto is a boutique hotel with 29 smoke-free guestrooms with a selection of 1,2, and 3 bedrooms. They all come fully equipped with a kitchen for cooking and eating in. That was our intent originally, but we found so many exciting restaurants to try on nearby 5th Avenue, that we the refrigerator was what we used most. We appreciated the full-size frig for keeping beverages cold as well as the coffee maker.
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Our Room at Acanto Hotel
Our 1-bedroom suite included a well-furnished kitchenette with plates and cooking utensils, dining table, a living room with flat screen plasma tv (rather small), and sofa and loveseat with a white bedsheet covering. The bedroom had a comfortable King bed with two nightstands on either side, a flat screen tv that was a bit bigger than the one in the living room, ample storage for clothes, and a security safe.
We really enjoyed the marble bathroom with marble floors. Central air conditioning and ceiling fans are also helpful with the tropical climate.
Marble bathroom in Playa del Carmen
The complimentary breakfast is served in the open courtyard and is ample. Selections include eggs, cheese, pastries, fruit, juices, coffee, and yogurt.
Free WiFi is available and worked very well. For additional fees, you can book a dog-friendly room, access a nearby gym and local beach clubs, order room service from local restaurants, or reserve a spot on the 24/7 airport shuttle.
Added Benefits
- Children 12 or under are free.
- Check in is at 3:00 PM. If you arrive early the hotel can secure your luggage until your condo is ready.
- Check out is at 12:00 PM. For late departures you can secure your luggage with the front desk.
- The hotel now offers on-site COVID testing for those needing tests to fly back home.
Though COVID-19 requirements were in place for Playa del Carmen such as mask wearing, we were surprised to see how many Americans were walking the streets without masks. However, the Acanto Hotel was very conscientious on wearing masks as they were with a their COVID-19 protocol.
We thoroughly enjoyed Playa del Carmen and our 3-night stay at Acanto Playa Del Carmen. We were so close to the beach and only ½ block away from 5th Avenue with all the shopping, restaurants, and nightlife.
Rates vary tremendously based on season. As of May 2021, the price for a King Room with breakfast ranged from a low of $96 on Booking.com to a high of $106 on Hotels.com.
Review and photos by Albuquerque, New Mexico-based travel writer Karin Leperi. Though the writer received a 10% discount for her 3-night stay, her opinions are strictly her own.
