I wanted to also review the dining experience at our hotel (Mahekal) – where we had a meal plan that included breakfast and dinner (which we were able to switch out for lunch each day, a highly-recommended decision in my opinion).
Here’s the review:
Pros: Good/consistent food, convenient
Cons: Limited options around the property, and menu remains largely the same every day
Must Try: Breakfast quesadillas (hand made by onsite chef if/when available)
Know Before You Go: You can dine anywhere around the property for lunch and still get the lunch menu/free meal swap (instead of eating dinner, you trade out for lunch) – just be nice to the staff and they’ll help serve you wherever you like (by the beach, by the pool, etc)
On the first two days of the trip, we opted to stay somewhere a little more modernized and relaxed – as we knew the latter part of the trip had much more exploring and charm in store. Thus, we decided to stay at Mahekal, a fairly luxurious beachfront spot which seemed to have a lot of the things we were looking for in the area (which – as I’m sure you may believe if you’ve ever searched – is actually really difficult to triangulate and arrive at an option that meets “most” of your wants/needs in the area).
Here’s the review:
Location: The location is great, as it is actually within short walking distance of the bustling Fifth Avenue shopping/dining/entertainment district in Playa Del Carmen. But it also feels like a secluded oasis, as the grounds and beach scene make it seem like this could be the only such resort for miles. A HUGE plus is that the resort is right next to an Oxo (convenience store), which is great for necessities like personal hygiene items, water, or other beverages.
Facilities: The facilities are great, and the only downside may be the volume of seaweed on the beaches (very common to the area though). The beach area has tiki huts, cabanas, and suspended day beds. The views are incredible, and can be even nicer from your own room if you have an ocean view (pictures at the end of the post).
Amenities: The amenities are great as well, as they have several pools, bars, restaurants, and a clubhouse area loaded with TV’s, ping pong, and billiards. If you consider meal plans an amenity, theirs is great and flexible – allowing you to trade out meals if you prefer to dine in town for certain meals.
Staff: The staff are very friendly and helpful. The bartenders and servers will help provide you whatever you need wherever you are throughout the property. They are also helpful with nightlife/food recommendations throughout town.
Rooms: I was very impressed with the rooms, and a nice bonus is that each room gets two hammocks to suspend from your balcony/terrace seating area.
View from balcony out onto beach with palapa umbrellas and chairsThe room, very nice with an authentic palapa style roofThe infinity pool, which has its own bar and restaurant – the same area where breakfast is served
