Hilton Playa Del Carmen, an All-Inclusive Adults-Only Resort

Mahomud Ahmed I wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for the exceptional service we received from Mahomud Ahmed during our stay at the hotel. This team member made every moment of our breakfast, lunch, and dinner a special experience with their charisma and willingness to help. Their professionalism and enthusiasm were contagious, and their ability to tailor the service to our needs was impressive. Mahomud Ahmed was always ready to assist, anticipating our needs and making our stay even more enjoyable. Their kindness, smile, and warmth made our stay unforgettable. We were truly lucky to have Mahomud Ahmed as our point of contact during our stay. Thanksss♥️

Absolutely a wonderful trip. Started with a warm welcome and a tour to and of our room with Maximo. What a wonderful person for a first impression of your beautiful resort. The food was amazing especially at the Asian restaurant with Victor who is in our opinion the number 1 waiter at the resort. His manager Francisco was also very present, observant and gracious. Our nights always started at the La Mejorada for a drink prepared by Allen who in our opinion was the number 1 bartender at the resort. Over all the resort was beautiful, good food and easy to get arounds ,no issues with towels or poolside loungers and no smoking at all which was an absolute dream . We chose the small, quiet, pool area as our hangout for this trip. We were able to go to Playa a few times to watch the hockey games . We would definitely go back .

Visited as part of a friend's birthday celebration, April 2025. Pros: -Coffee, Lunch, Dinner options are pretty good for an all inclusive. Our favorite was the Aroma cafe and the Acai Bowl/Wrap hut by the pool. -Rooms are spacious- cute touch putting a silver member ribbon on my door. -Most of the staff are really friendly. -Entertainment staff are all great and the silent disco and foam party were so much fun. -Location is very close to off-site entertainment and restaurants on the Avenue Cons: -1 hr from airport. -Waited a whole 4 hours to check into our room, absolutely insane wait times- you also are forced to check in your luggage, they practically hold it hostage and then you're forced to be with one Bellman who's checking in two or three other rooms at same time; you all walk together in the sweltering heat, it's really really bizarre and a total invasion of your privacy. -Breakfast was not good, at all- which was strange compared to other all-inclusives I've stood at- how do you mess up basics like eggs, bacon and potatoes? lol -Drinks were not good but that's often the case with all inclusives, so I didn't have a major, major issue about it. -Main Pool is tiny compared to the amount of rooms/guests and you will never, ever find a seat after 630am unless you pay for a cabana. You also won't be able to really participate in activities unless you have a seat at the main pool or cabana, so not very inclusive. -On the Friday I was there I had to wake up at 5:30 in the morning, to head downstairs at 6:00 to get a seat (you have guests who couldn't find loungers and had to leave their stuff thrown in corners while they went into the pool, I have never seen anything like this in my life at a beach/all inclusive resort- I also had people asking me if I didn't mind watching their stuff for them). And then I had to make sure that I didn't move because the female attendant by the pool felt the need to continue to harp on and question me about holding two loungers by the "swimup" bar pool, while all of the lighter skin folks who disappeared for hours, were NEVER questioned! I also ordered a drink three different times from waitresses by the pool and each time they failed to bring me the drink, so dont expect good service. -Everything is an upcharge, and I mean everything- food, wines, spa treatment pitching constantly, cabanas, etc, it was insane. -Room is filled with stains, holes/sloppy patching, mold and mildew-our luggage and clothes came home smelling of pure seaweed. We also heard our neighbors next door and above, so not great sound insulation. Also found small bugs here and there and there were often raccoons that would greet us the minute we opened our door lol Cute but scary. -Nightly entertainment is lacking and basically it was pretty boring. -Lastly if you're looking for the nice beach experience, this is absolutely not the resort for you as it's open to the public, ton of vendors, and a very small amount of actual sand/space, however I must admit they do their due diligence to remove the seaweed but it then blocks any potential seating. Now this was my eighth trip to Mexico so I've stood at many different Resorts and this is hands down the worst experience. Definitely do not recommend and I would not consider this a five-star or a luxury hotel by any means.

Let me start with two quick heads-ups: 1. This review is long. 2. I’m picky — and I’m okay with that. Your experience may be different from mine, but that doesn’t make mine any less valid. Now let’s get into it. I usually stay in Cancun, but I came to Playa del Carmen for a wedding and decided to try this resort. I booked a swim-up suite — something I always enjoy — but was surprised to learn you’re not allowed to swim in it after 10 PM. That was a first for me, and honestly, it took away from the appeal. In-room amenities were lacking. No liquor, no wine, no mixers — just cheap beer, Coke, Sprite, and water. For a resort charging over $400 per night, I expected more. The buffet (Spice) was another frustration. Last week it was open on Friday, Saturday, and Monday. This week? Just Friday. We got ready for dinner on Monday only to find it closed, and the app wasn’t updated until sometime after lunch that day — so we missed the opportunity. Communication was poor and made planning meals unnecessarily difficult. As for the drinks… whew. I had to coach more than a few bartenders on how to make basic cocktails. When I asked what they knew how to make, they’d just list liquors and tell me to pick one. Most bars didn’t have menus, so I had to learn over time which bartenders to stick with and which ones to avoid. Some drinks had a terrible aftertaste (likely from syrups), so I eventually just asked for pineapple juice in everything. That worked. Shoutout to the few standout bartenders — they were fantastic once I found them. Now, the good: The staff was incredibly friendly, and housekeeping was exceptional. The food overall was solid, and the location was amazing — just a short walk to downtown Playa del Carmen, full of shops, nightclubs, restaurants, and more. That said, I had some issues with the animals around the dining areas. At Rincón and Pelicanos, there were cats constantly walking around the tables, and guests were feeding them — which encouraged them to stick close. I’m not a fan of cats, so that was a bit much for me. But what really shocked me was the raccoons. One literally jumped onto a table and started drinking from a water glass. That’s a serious hygiene concern and something I’ve never seen at a resort before. Entertainment was enjoyable, but everything shuts down around 10 PM. There’s no indoor club or late-night option on the property. The 24-hour lounge stops serving food and drinks at 11 PM, and while room service is technically 24 hours, the drink service also cuts off at 11. One last tip: Don’t bring U.S. dollars. The exchange rate is consistently manipulated in a way that benefits the locals and shortchanges guests. Bring pesos and you’ll avoid unnecessary losses. Bottom Line: Would I stay here again? Honestly? No. It wasn’t a terrible experience, but for the price we paid, it should have been much better. I’ve stayed in Cancun for the same or even less and had a far more polished experience. That said, I loved Playa del Carmen. The locals were warm and welcoming, we never felt unsafe, and we didn’t experience any issues with police or harassment. It’s a great town — but unless there’s another special event, I wouldn’t return to this particular resort.

My wife and I reserved a one-bedroom suite oceanfront – 1 king bed at Hilton Playa del Carmen. Butler Service: From the time we arrived, there was butler service. They helped with the luggage as it was being unloaded form the transfer service and moved it to our suite. They helped with check-in and escorted us to our suite while explaining the property along the way. Once at the suite, they explained how everything in the suite worked. My wife and I are early risers, so they ensured coffee and cappuccino were delivered every morning at 0530. They also checked in during the day to ensure we didn’t have any questions, and to help with reservations. Five Stars! Suite Massive!! One king bed, but a table that sat six people. Full ocean view with a patio and a two-person jetted tub. Also had 1 ½ (no shower) bathrooms. Daily maid service was also provided. Five Starts! Food Had reservations at Kalamata, Carnivore, Chef's Plate. Kalamata great atmosphere, but I ordered the cowboy ribeye (not include in all inclusive) and it was very tough and lacked flavor. Just a cut of meat that they left on fire and placed on a wood serving board. Similar experience at Carnivore; ordered the ribeye (not falling for the cowboy ribeye again) and it was the same. Tough without flavor. Now, my wife ordered the filet and it was perfect. The meal was provided on a roof top with ocean views. Very romantic. At Chef's Plate, I had the short rib that was very tender. The remainder of the stay, just stayed away from steaks or ordered filets. For breakfast, Spice, which is a buffet, was our consistent choice. The star of the show was the coffee shop off the main lobby. Definitely glad that I no longer have access to that place because I’d be big as a house. Delicious desserts and coffees. Four Stars! Property The property was beautiful and they take very good care of it. All the fine touches you’d expect. As a bonus, its about a two block walk to reach 5th Ave / Quinta Avenida where you can shop until you drop. The only con was the internet (may be a Mexico problem and not a property problem). When I ran a speed test, it topped out at 8mbps. Five Stars! Overall, my wife and I will definitely return to this property and it is highly recommended!