First of all you need to log onto
Playa del Carmen, Mexico's Virtual Guide Book : Playa.Info and check out the forums there. The debate between “All Inclusive” and going to a smaller “Non Inclusive” is like the sealant and wax wars here. There are plus and minus to both, I tend to go to the smaller hotels with 50 or less rooms that are in the center of Playa De Carmen. Asking on the Playa forums which hotel is best is like asking which sealant is best on these forums. This is what I do - I research hotels on the forums because trip advisor has shills (yep they have to) doing bad review on other hotels in the area.
What I didn’t like about “All Inclusive”.
Less choices on where to eat - At the AI that we stayed in had Pizza, hamburger and sandwich for lunch - give me break we are in Mexico.
They had 5 restaurant and only one served Mexican food - again where are we!
I felt that I could experience the same in Florida so why did come all the way to Mexico.
The only real plus I could see is that you really didn’t have to spend any money and with guards at the gate you felt safe. Even the water down American booze is free.
What I like about “Non Inclusive”
There is over 100 restaurants in Playa for the dive (which by the way has some of the best food - the carts down the bus station is real must to try) Some really nice high end that you can spend some serious bucks (at least in Mexico) for a meal.
The food is safe and they use bottle water for everything from ice to washing the salad. Most people I have talk to that said they got sick in Mexico resort area had been eating hot food and chasing it with SOL or Tequila by the buck loads and just don’t understand why the are not feeling well.
The staff at the smaller hotels will get to know you quickly and will go out of their way to make you stay pleasant.
You want to really enjoy yourself log on the play.info and check out the peep meets - it will allow you to meet other people including some of the locals.
Also check out the tours - if you go to the Tulum and beyond tour with Mitch you will love it. Went on the Fat Cat tour last time and it was great. Also just down from the hotel was a place that with couple hours you could be scuba diving even if you have never do it before.
Over all the experience of really see mexico is just a blast and seeing it about from the AI type resorts.
I would stay out of Cancun unless you young, single and like to party all night.
Here are some pictures of our last trip to Playa - I try to go at least once a year this year we have already been there twice because of some good web deal from frontier Airlines.
http://gallery.mac.com/cwswine#100003&bgcolor=black
My wife and me budgets 100.00 dollars a day and find the we have plenty left over at the end of the trip. Playa has a lot banks that you can use you ATM card at, I don't use credit cards nor debit cards in the shops. I bring on credit card and limit my debit card to 300.00 dollars a day while I'm gone.
Remember they are in business to make tourist happy and ripping you off or making you trip unpleasent will limit their income in the future.
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