This Playa del Carmen Resort Is Rebranding Into Two Hotels: One Family-Friendly, One Just for Adults   

Fifth Avenue, or as the locals know it, Quinta Avenida: It’s the main thoroughfare in one of our favorite beach towns in the Caribbean: the endlessly fun, always-energetic Playa del Carmen on the coast of Mexico. It’s walkable, filled with great shopping and the kinds of great little out-of-the-way restaurants that travelers love discovering for themselves. 

In recent years, Playa has undergone a new era of development, one that has seen a boom of new condo-style hotels, adding to the city’ already-strong group of mostly boutique-style hotels. 

For years, since it first opened in 2015, the Thompson Playa del Carmen has been, in our view, the best place to stay in town, with a dual-wing concept that includes an in-town option and rooms on the beach, all connected under one brand and one identity. 

But in the biggest news of the month in Playa travel, the Thompson is about to be rebranded, Caribbean Journal has learned.

Beginning later this year, the hotel will be reopening as a rebranded Hyatt Centric hotel, the second Hyatt Centric in the Caribbean along with the just-opened Hyatt Centric Santo Domingo (more on that in our report here). 

So what’s changing, and what do you need to know?

The new-look Hyatt Centric Playa del Carmen will have 119 rooms; that will include the Downtown House, which will be adults-only and have 92 rooms; and the “Beach House,” which will be geared for families. 

It makes sense for the in-town wing of the hotel to be adults-only — it’s a hip, always-pulsing property with a rooftop bar and an infinity pool, with DJ sets and a day club. (The “Downtown House” will also have a grab-and-go outpost and a restaurant called UMI). 

The beach house, which will include a special shuttle that ferries guests in an old VW, will include 27 suites, all with ocean views, and a fusion restaurant called C Grill. 

The larger Downtown House will remain the most authentic way to experience Playa — a town that is all about strolling around 5th, exploring its cool little alleyways and discovering the art scene, the cafes and the quirky, eclectic shops. 

But if you’re after the sand, the Beach House vacation is still a good option, and, after all, just a Beetle ride away from the action. 

What about pricing? After the rebrand, Hyatt is now taking bookings for stays beginning Dec. 1, according to our research on Hyatt’s website. The price? About $223 per night if you make and pay for your booking in advance. 

So how do you get to Playa? Easy. Just fly to Cancun (you can search for fares on Google Flights) and take a taxi or rent a car and make the hour-long drive to Playa. Or, thanks to the new airport in Tulum, you can also fly direct to that airport and then take a car. Playa is just about equidistant between the two cities, so we’d suggest looking for whichever airfare is cheaper. 

For more, visit the Hyatt Centric Playa del Carmen.