- Mexico Holidays
- Playa del Carmen
- The Fives Beach Hotel and Residences
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The Fives Beach Hotel and Residences
Mexico, North America
Playa del Carmen
This recently constructed, family-friendly beach apartment hotel is ideal for families and groups of friends that are looking for independent living away from the constraints of the standard venues. It is perfectly located in Playa del Carmen on the Riviera Maya. Guests can experience first-hand the charming restaurants, shops, bars, nightspots and attractions of central Playa del Carmen, which can be reached for less than a 10 minute drive. The establishment offers spacious suites which are decorated with great attention to detail and style, and come with all the amenities needed for a comfortable stay. When it comes to relaxing, guests will be spoiled for choice, as they can have their pick between the 3 outdoor swimming pools or why not just unwind in the hot tub. If some pampering is needed, a massages or a spa treatment may do.
Facilities
- Tennis
- Billiards*
- Volleyball
- Beauty salon*
- Spa treatments*
- Massage*
- Steam bath
- Sauna*
- Entertainment programme for children
- Entertainment programme for adults
- Please note some facilities may incur an additional fee
Due to the surrounding area and the number of steps around the hotel, it may not be suitable for those with mobility difficulties.
The Local Area
Tripadvisor Reviews
4.5 Excellent18,614 reviews
Excellent
72%
Very Good
15%
Average
6%
Poor
3%
Terrible
4%
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Amazing Five‑Star Review For The Fives
We travelled as a group of seven (two families — four adults and teens aged 16, 15 and 12) for a 10‑night stay at The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences in Playa del Carmen, and it genuinely delivered a fantastic holiday from start to finish.
From the moment we arrived, the staff were superb. Concierge, cleaners, bar staff and waiting teams were all friendly, attentive and couldn’t do enough for us. Their service was consistently excellent throughout our stay.
The jungle setting is incredible, and the wildlife was a real highlight — we saw monkeys, coatis, iguanas, turtles and raccoons around the resort, which made the experience feel unique and memorable.
We stayed in Block 14, and the rooms were modern, clean, spacious and freshly stocked every day. The cleanliness across the entire resort was first class, and all the pools were excellent. Sunbeds around the main pools could be tricky at peak times, but there were always plenty available on the beach, so it never caused any issues.
As widely known, this part of Mexico is affected by sargassum, and while going into the sea wasn’t possible, the hotel team worked tirelessly to keep the beach area clean. It was still a lovely place to sit and relax.
The restaurant and food options were superb. We tended to eat later in the evenings (from 8pm onwards) and never chose the buffet at night, preferring the à la carte restaurants — which suited us perfectly. Despite being a group of seven, we didn’t experience any of the long waits mentioned in other reviews. Our longest wait was around 30 minutes, and the booking system works brilliantly: reserve your slot, grab a drink, and they notify you via WhatsApp when your table is ready. For us, there were zero issues with restaurant availability.
The food itself was consistently good, with great variety and quality across all restaurants. Daytime options were also excellent — make sure you try the tacos at Chechen y Chaka.
We also booked the Casa de Rosa experience, which was absolutely worth it. It’s a fantastic way to enjoy traditional Mexican culture, and the tequila tasting was great fun. A special mention to Fatima and Wendy, who were amazing.
Finally, it’s worth noting that we never experienced any two‑tier service whatsoever. Every member of staff treated us brilliantly, and we felt valued throughout our stay.
This hotel comes highly recommended. Beautiful surroundings, spotless facilities, excellent food, and staff who genuinely care about your experience. As two families travelling together, The Fives gave us a holiday we’ll remember for all the right reasons.
Review by ARG1981 Leicester, United Kingdom
Fantastic Resort
This is a really lovely resort and we had an amazing time. The good - The staff are all brilliant. Our rooms were clean, spacious and with good air con. The grounds are well looked after and beautiful. The restaurants are great - our fave was the Thai and Natura at lunch. Breakfast at the brasserie excellent. This resort never really feels busy, there are so many pools. Cocktails are delicious and evening entertainment is pretty good in the plaza. Do not miss the fire show. Even the beach was nice by the end of the stay. Omar the ambassador booked our trips and was super helpful. Don't miss Xplor park if you have adrenaline loving teens! The bad - i'm being very picky here because nothing was that bad but the evening buffet was pretty basic. We went once then stuck to the restaurants and never waited more than 40 mins despite eating at peak times. Sunbeds - unless going on the beach one of you needs to head out around 7.30am but to he honest it was no hardship. We just laid there with a book. There was however space for more beds so I think they should look at that. Plenty of towels available. Overall we had a lovely 2 week stay at The Fives.
Pool day at The Fives
Infinity Pool bar service was excellent. We enjoyed how attentive Andrea and Alejandro were during our stay.
Review by FarAway761062 Raleigh, North Carolina
Magnificent family holiday
A truly amazing holiday. The resort has something for everyone. With its 7 pools offering variety from party vibes, aerobics to chilling, as well as the beach with watersports activities. The 7 à la carte restaurants provide an exquisite dining experience, but the the buffet option is equally delicious. The nightly entertainment is something else, with traditional quizzes, karaoke as well as spectacular fire shows and dance shows, all followed by high energy disco. But what makes it even better is the staff. Everyone from waiters to cleaners to entertainment staff have one goal, make guests happy, and never to busy to say hello and check you have everything you need. Beyond the resort we did many excursions: Tulum, cenote, snorkelling, Jungala waterpark, jet skiing, shopping on fifth avenue, Xplore Fuego (a must) and let’s not forget Coco Bongos! Thank you to all at the Fives for making this a magnificent holiday for all of us.
THE Fives - THE Facts
If you’ve booked The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences and have been worrying after reading some negative reviews, don’t panic — this place is genuinely fantastic. Here’s an honest breakdown of our two‑week stay.
THE Resort The resort is absolutely stunning. It’s beautifully maintained, spotless, and full of character. The jungle pathways and cenote areas are packed with spider monkeys, coatis and other wildlife, making every walk back to your room feel special. A real highlight of the property.
THE Rooms We were a family of four travelling with our teenage son and his girlfriend, staying in a 2‑bedroom penthouse (Room 1532).
After a long flight from Gatwick you naturally spot the negatives first: the lift was out of order, but luggage was delivered and we didn’t need it day‑to‑day. The rooms are very clean, though a few areas show some wear.
Once settled, the space was excellent. Our side had a kitchen, dining area, lounge, long balcony, super‑king bed, and a large bathroom with separate shower and toilet. The kids’ adjoining room mirrored the layout with their own super‑king bed, slightly smaller bathroom, and another balcony. After a proper sleep, we really appreciated how much room we had — perfect for families or groups.
THE Pools We tried most pools but chose to base ourselves at the main beach area. There were always plenty of sunbeds, even arriving after breakfast. People do reserve beds despite the signs, but it never caused us an issue. The beach breeze was a blessing in 32°C heat. The long pool behind Villas 1–10 is great for quiet swims or doing lengths.
THE Weather Two weeks of perfect sunshine, with only one hour of rain. UV is extremely high — we didn’t go below SPF 30.
THE Restaurants I’d read lots of negative reviews about queues, but honestly, it was fine. Most evenings we aimed for 8–8:30pm. I’d head down slightly ahead of the others, put our name on the waitlist, and we were usually seated within 30 minutes — just enough time for a pre‑dinner drink and a bit of entertainment.
Natura (adults‑only) was excellent for lunch, and our nearly‑18s were allowed in. We ate at every restaurant and had good meals throughout. We also dined at The Beach next door, which was genuinely Michelin‑level quality.
THE Entertainment Held in the central plaza. We only caught bits before or after dinner, but everything looked well organised, lively, and enjoyable.
THE Ambassadors Engage with your ambassador — they’re incredibly helpful for excursions and general support. A big thank you to Carlos and Luis who looked after us brilliantly.
THE Excursions We did three — all superb.
- Isla Mujeres: We booked everything from home (taxi via Carm Tours, UltraMar ferry, golf cart hire, beach club loungers). The island is breathtaking.
- Tulum Ruins + Cenote + Akumal Turtles: Booked through our ambassador who beat Carm Tours’ price. Great mix of culture and adventure. We skipped Chichén Itzá due to the 6‑hour round‑trip.
- Whale Shark Experience: Booked with Cancun Adventures via our ambassador — best price again. This was the highlight of the holiday. Swimming with these huge, gentle creatures in open ocean is unforgettable.
THE Verdict Ignore the panic‑inducing negative reviews — The Fives delivers a fantastic holiday. Beautiful grounds, great food, friendly staff, amazing wildlife, and unforgettable excursions. If you’re heading here, you’re in for a brilliant stay.
Review by 2010-paulg Banbury, United Kingdom
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