Mexican Riviera

About a 45 minute drive from Cancun is Playa Del Carmen - the center of the Mexican Riviera. Located right on the Carribean, the area did not take too much of a beating from Wilma and is totally up and running. There are 2 hotels there that I have been wanting to check out there.

The first is Hotel Deseo. Hoteliers Carlos Couturier and Moises Micha, Mexico's answer to Ian Schrager, created this 15-room design hotel on Avenida Quinta, Playa's main drag. Rooms are standard issue minimal with white flowing curtains and stark bathroom fixtures. A wire clothesline strung along one bare white wall is hung with unexpected amenities: sun hat, boxer shorts, beach bag, flip-flops, bananas, and the room-service menu. Balcony rooms have a hammock overlooking the Quinta. Non-stop house music is piped throughout the hotel, including in the rooms (which can be turned off if you aren't a fan). The big draw here is the outdoor "lounge" - by day a multi-decked pool area with mattresses and chaise lounges and by night a purple lit party space complete with a D.J. and lots of fashionistas.



Next stop, Deseo's newer sister Hotel Basico. This 15-room hideaway one block from the beach takes on an industrial-chic look, rather than the streamlined minimal look of Deseo. Each of the rooms has female names, floor-to-ceiling windows, white concrete walls, flat-screen televisions, free wireless internet throughout the property and pillow-top king-size beds. As with Deseo, the action centers around the pool area - which in this case is a rooftop deck with 2 "pools" (10-ft diameter oil drums) with Carribean views, four-poster vinyl beach beds, hammocks, deck chairs, and of course a bar with nightly parties.



The only drawback to both of these hotels is that they are not located right on the beach, however both provide guess passes to Mamita's - a tony beach club nearby. Both hotels can arrange for airport transfers for about $55. Room rates for both run $148-$218.