Encanto El Faro Luxury Ocean Front Condo-Hotel - Playa del Carmen

Is beginning to show wear and tear.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Very disappointed...while the look of the hotel was good the actual condition(no tv service for the 2 days while we were there.) The mattress and pillows were cheap but worst of all the customer service was horrible. If I could have found someone who cared I would have demanded my money back.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

We had 2 vastly different experiences during our stay. We were first assigned a suite in the building across Calle 10 that happened to sit right on top of a beach bar that had a live band until midnight 7 nights a week, followed by loud music and screaming until 5 am in the morning. Give me a break. With or without our 2 small children this was completely […] unacceptable. When we complained the next morning we were told that the bar had stayed within their decibel limit. Again, give me a break. Don't talk to me about decibels when my family spent an entire sleepless night listening to the drums and crooning of a 3rd rate rock cover band, and an unending bass beat and screams. After complaining a little more we were reassigned to a suite in the main complex on the 4th floor. It was very nice, quiet and relaxing. My only gripes about it was that the wifi did not work and the water pressure fluctuated and sometimes was almost nonexistent. Still, had we been assigned this room from the start my overall rating might be a 4. The beachfront view is awesome. The pool is nice, though my kids said it was too cold (in late Dec). The onsite restaurant is acceptable. When pressed, the staff was helpful. The rooms were roomy and clean. Potable water was provided in each room. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

it was a dream place from a dream vacation. we have enjoyed the place and the services in it.

Genuine Expedia guest review

We were 3 girls, in a 2 bedroom Ocean view condo and we have NO complaints! Everything was amazing! Perfect location, perfect hotel. I would recommend this to anyone: couples, friends, family, etc...

Genuine Expedia guest review

Excellent Location, great place to stay very quiet and beautiful rooms. Recommended 100%

Genuine Expedia guest review

This is a great condo/hotel. Big suites for a reasonable price. Cheaper than most hotels for the number of people staying. And the location is just perfect. One block from 5th Ave and right on the beach. The only bad thing is the low water pressure. I learnt a lot about communicating when in a non-English speaking country. Most importantly, you need […] to be precise. I believe some of the problems the people who gave low ratings are probably from communication issues. I had A/C issues. The A/Cs in one of the rooms and living room were blowing out warm air. I told the receptionist "the A/C wasn't working" Saturday night and she said it'll be fixed on Sunday. It wasn't. I told a different receptionist Sunday night when we came back from our tour that "the A/C still wasn't working" and he said it'll be fixed Monday. It wasn't. Monday night it still wasn't fixed so I rephrased the problem. I told them that there was air blowing out but the air was warm. Tuesday, the problem was fixed. So I don't think it's a service issue but more a communication issue. But I can understand how some people get frustrated when they can't get a problem resolved. Everyone in the hotel was friendly and helpful. I'd definitely return to stay. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

My wife and I just came back from a 3-day short trip to Playa, I had been there several times before. Overall the El Faro has a great location directly on the beach , near 5th Avenue and the rooms are clean, comfortable and large - much larger than a regular hotel room. The only bad thing about the location is that we could hear the nightclubs on Friday […] & Sat nite, I would request a room away from Calle 10 (10th St). We were also able to hear the doors across the hallway every time they opened and closed, at all hours. The service was not great either..we couldn't bill food and beverages to our room, we had a 2-page inventory list that we had to complete and return within 24 hours after check in...(who wants to do that on their vacation?). No room service, no "do not disturb" sign, no peep-hole in the door, no interior privacy lock, there was no safe in our room (even though they told us they would bring one up when we checked in...They later told us they were booked nd didn't have any more. Also one day there was a terrible smell in our room and they said they had problems with their plumbing..Fortunately after few hours the odor went away. Oh and the main elevator in the lobby was out of service for half of our stay...so unfortunately we can't give this more than a "3" even though the room was large, clean, and very nice, and it is in a great location. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Perfect! Location , view, quality and cleanliness of room , everything !

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Air Cinditioning was not working in Masterbedroom. The front desk staff had a bad accitud about it when we informed them. We were given a room with a nice view. However, it was not clean and incomplete. They provide you with a list of items in the room that they expect to have when you live and most of those items are not in the suite. The hotel is […] within walking distance to the main streets in Playa del Carmen and They only offer internet-wifi in the Lobby but the connection is extremately slow. we had to go to a coffee shop to use wifi. Will not come back to this Hotel. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Hotel was great really didn't have any problems with it. The only thing that I didn't like was that there was no WIFI in the rooms. They make it seem like they do but there is only WIFI in the lobby. So if you had to do anything online you had to go there. Other then that it was a great place. Would go back to that same hotel.

Genuine Expedia guest review

We were married at the beachfront of this hotel with the Wedding done by Wicky's. It was AWESOME and exceeded our expectations. Personally the suite was nice a bit pricey for single night stay compared to Mayan Palace tiemshare but the ambiance of the hotel and restaurant were perfect for a beachside wedding.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The decor of the room was nice. If you are into a very "touristy" location, then this is the place for you. Walking distance to the main street in PlayaCar. Disappointed in a few items with the hotel. No WIFI in the rooms. You can hear the thumping music of the clubs from about midnight until 5:00 a.m. Beds are really hard. Didn't get much sleep. Also, […] for a family of four, the hot water runs out quickly. Staff is really nice and helpful. Overall, we enjoyed ourselves, but probably won't go back to PlayaCar. Too "touristy", and not enough amenities for the money we spent. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Good condo style resort/hotel. Great location. Close to everything while still being relatively quiet. Check out Cantegrill further north on 5 for the best steaks in Playa!

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Great overall hotel with quick access to everything that playa has to offer. From beach, 5ta ave., pool, and great atmosphere.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Hotel is located in area close to everything. Several issues, one, there are no telephones in the rooms, so if you need to contact the front desk, you have to go down to reception. Room was very nice and staff very helpful

Genuine Expedia guest review

Our stay was excellent!! The staff was so sweet and met our every need. I definitely plan on staying here again. The view was beautiful, we had pool and ocean view. The pictures were right on, it was more than I had imagined! I felt very safe, 24 hour security, that is on top of everything. Everything we could have needed was in walking distance. I […] LOVE this place, I can't wait to visit it again. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

We were there for a week. The staff was attentive, the pool was beautiful with comfortable lounge chairs and well maintained. They provided beach chairs and umbrellas. We had security watching the beach and pool all day. The room was spacious and beautifully furnished. The only minor complaint that we had was low water pressure in the shower. Other […] than that, it was perfect. And the location was great, too. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

This hotel is a complex of privately owned condos that owners rent out. I had the luxury of dividing my four nights stay between two so I was able to see more than one and compare the two. Each is decorated to the owner's taste so it some-what comes with the luck of the draw. The kitchen areas are great, coming with a clean water dispenser so no one […] falls ill. Very spacious floor plans, great showers and tubs. The beach front is wonderful. Smooth sand, clear water and lots of excursions to sign up for near by. The location could not have been better. I was apprehensive of it being in the heart of Playa however, it is just three blocks away from very fine stores and restaurants. The hotel restaurant has amazing food but definitely pricey. I recommend Fusion just down the beach for breakfast and lunch. Blue Lobster was amazing for dinner. All and all this place was amazing however, there was an issue with the transportation from the airport. We should have just taken a cab to the hotel. It would have been much cheaper. Avoid a shuttle. Its too expensive and stops at numerous hotels on the way. I would definitely stay here again and it you're looking for a great two bedroom I recommend room #305. Amazing view of the lighthouse they advertise, wonderfully decorated and rooftop shower. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

excellent location, premises are very confortable, there is a very nice gym three blocks from there, staff very friedly, you can walk to all restaurants, 5th avenue is just one block away

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Beautiful location. The rooms were spacious and clean. Beds were comfortable. Hard to get a chair at the pool or beach unless you got up at 8am and put a towel on one. There were two events there during our stay, so we had to deal with live bands and DJ's noise. If you closed your windows it muffled it quite a bit. Also the sounds from neighboring hotels, […] and their entertainment does seem to reverberate off this hotel...so you can hear that at 2am, but a again if you shut your windows and turn on the air it quiets it, my kids slept right through it...All in All I would go back to this hotel great location, nice clean rooms, grounds are nicely kept, staff is friendly and helpful. Also I got a great price on the rooms through Expedia...I would never play full rate...not worth that price Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Although the "lobby" is small at this condo hotel, check in was smooth. Are room was ready upon arrival. Our room was in the Reef section of the Condos, and on the top floor, which meant we were lucky because the unit had a large roof top deck and jacuzzi. The two bedroom unit seemed brand new. Super clean, and well decorated. I could have easily just […] moved-in for the next 5 years! Beds were comfy and maid service was sufficient (there is no turn down service here). The full Kitchen had we have stayed for a week would have been great, but our trip was only 3 days. The only thing that we didn't like, was that the condo owner had disconnected the phone and internet, so we couldn't get online, and if we needed extra pillows or help with luggage checking out, you couldn't just call the front desk. The restaurant in the hotel is just okay. I would recommend exploring the town of Playa for better breakfast options, and certainly for dinner. Location is excellent. It is right on the beach, and walking distance to everything in Playa Del Carmen. Tip: have dinner at Da Vino/The Glass Bar and order the salt-baked whole fish. It is amazing! Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

We stayed in a 2 bedroom condo from 12/25-1/1. The rooms and furnishings were ok, but there weren't pillows in the 2nd bedroom (and multiple requests didn't get us any) and the linens were old, stained and rough. Also, there wasn't a phone in the room, so if we needed something from the front desk we had to go down to ask. We asked them to call and […] confirm our transportation back to the airport and were told they didn't have a phone (but they were nice enough to go to Wicky's and use their phone to confirm for us). We counted about 90 chairs available - 60 on the beach and 30 at the pool. There were another 60 on the beach, but they were available to Wicky's customers (minimal food/drink purchases are required to use them). There are 66 units at El Faro and another 3 resorts that can use the pool and beach...so there weren't anywhere near enough chairs. And there were maybe 10-15 umbrellas available (again, more at Wicky's). If you hadn't claimed your space by 6:30 or 6:45 a.m. you weren't getting a good location or an umbrella. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

We love the location on the beach and especially the fact that the restaurant Wicy's is clos by so we can have breakfast and lunch on the beach at night we walk for 3 minutes to 5th Avenue and have lots of choices of places to eat our dinner. We loved Sur and The Glass House, and anew one Laterel. OPlanning to go back in the New Year.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The hotel was actually a condo complex and very nice,on the beach with a big pool and very well priced,the manager,front desk,security and maids were all friendly and helpful,I will go back again.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The hotel was beautiful It was right on the beach but close to shopping and restaurants. Our room was very nice. I would recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Hotel is on the beach and half a block from the famous 5th Avenue. Where you can find anything you need: souviners, money exchange, markets, restaurants, pharmacies, banks, stores, tour assistance and discounts. The pool and beach area are beautiful, however, it is a public beach, people staying at inland hotels and locals often come to that part of […] the beach. It can be crowded at times. The hotel is beautiful, and each condo is unique. We were lucky to get a full serviced room that has a owner. We had everything we needed in there including a washer and dryer and satellite tv. We did have a few problems during our stay (washer didnt work, leaky faucets, no tv, lights went out). They were handled after a few days with much needed persistance. There was a few cons to this hotel. One complaint is that there are no phones. So if you have a problem or question or want room service, you physically have to go down to the lobby and tell them. Also, there is only one operating elevator that fits about 4 people. It was on the opposite side of our room, so we walked the entire complex each time we went out and came home. Lastly, my last complain was that the housekeeper would re-use your towels. At night when I wash my face, I would use a small towel to clean any remaining makeup. So you could see mascara and foundation stains. I thought I was getting new, clean towels every day. Then, after two days, I noticed that she/he was folding the towels in a way that I wouldnt see the stains. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

great location one block from 5th avenue; right on beach; nice restaurant--bkfast, lunch & dinner! staff friendly; furniture nice. DISAPPOINTMENT: beds were not comfortable (twins in 2nd); pillows were few and flat! MOSQUITOS inside & out!!

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

One of the best locations in Playa Del Carmen great service and great resort.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Ideal location, by club seen, walking distance to ADO, ferry, and other location for tour sites. On the beach looking over the carribean see, couldn't ask for more. Only one thing, our room didn't get cleaned two days straight?? We only needed clean towels and shampoo which they immediately provided us. Otherwise YES, YES, YES we'd stay here agai […] n. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

I was looking forward to a relaxing vacation where I could be pampered and that is what I got. From the gorgeous beach view to the massage pool side while listening to live music.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Some very good features at El Faro. The location is the best. It is right off the strip towards the ocean. Perfect for those that want to have two or more separate bedrooms. Great pool for toddlers because there is a knee high part.Ocean view is great. Has a full kitchen (good for cheap breakfast at least. Full size fridge, microwave, and stove) 2 […] large TVs for waiting for everyone to take showers. Big kitchen table. They wash your dishes. Great new air conditioners. Restaurant on the first floor is pretty good for when you get back late and hungry. Girls at the front desk are super nice. Cleaning did a good job and the rooms were clean. Things they need to improve there: NO WiFi in the rooms. (Though the lobby has WiFi, no air conditioning in the lobby :[ ) Slow drains sometimes in the shower. Broken water cooler. Occasional ants. (Not so many, just annoying. Keep your food in the fridge.) Guys at the front desk need to chill. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

El Faro Condos are a great place to stay. I will start off with the negatives, but they are few. 1.) Had an issue with the cleaning staff - it was resolved, so no big deal. 2.) No curtains or very shear curtains in main bedroom. If you do not like to get up at 6:30 AM - this could be a problem - it did not bother us too much, but I may have slept in […] a day or two if the room had been darker. If I were to go back, I think I would ask for a blanket to be spread across the slider glass window @ night time (or all the time). 3). Wickey's (the beach club of the hotel) should have an outside small palapa type bar in the sand. Wickey's has a beautiful restuarant & BAR INSIDE, but an outside one to add would be perfect. The Positives are : This is a perfect location hotel 10th & Beach. It is amongst all the beach clubs, yet it is not noisy - particularly at bed time. Clean modern rooms, with all the amenities. Wonderful beach views from all the condos. Excellent beach front pool. Nice daily backround music and sometimes a band or two. They setup a stage for July 4th and two bands when we were there, a wonderful experience. Cocktails in the pool 5- 25 feet away listening to good rock music. This hotel/condo is just about perfect. Clean, comfortable, roomy, beachfront, pool, beach club attached and the beat location. What else can you ask for. Other pluses for the condo is you can bring your own small cooler down to pool/beach and drink cans of soda or beer saving big $$$ a day. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

This hotel is just as beautiful as it looks in the pictures they provide. The room was huge (we got 2 bedroom room with full kitchen). It was very sufficiently stocked with everything we could possibly need, including 2 ipod docks, DVDs, books, and lots of kitchen supplies. It was very clean. Filtered water was provided. The balcony view was awesome […] and there was a table with chairs and a coffee table with couches on the balcony. The pool was awesome and the beach was very close by and easily seen from our balcony. The area was great; lots of local culture and exploring to do by foot. I loved the hotel and the area and would recommend it 100%. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Pros: Right on the beach Very new. Comfortable beds Perfect location in the center of everything on the beach Wicky's restaurant was very good. Empty underground parking Separate air conditioning in every room with sophisticated controls TVs in every room High quality finishes throughout Huge patio Cons: Cockroaches (small) were everywhere in the kitchen. […] Even scurried out of my laptop in the morning. We never ate there and had no food, so it wasn't a big problem with us. We were in unit 103, which was a 3 bedroom. Might not be a problem in other units. Otherwise very clean. Internet was only available in the lobby, not in the condo as promised. Claimed they had 4 beds in the unit but one was a futon in the living room. Specifically requested one room to have two beds and they ignored that. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

This was our 25th wedding anniversary celebration. We took our two children - ages 17 & 20. We've been to the Caribbean many times, but this was our first stay in Playa del Carmen. El Faro is the perfect place to stay. We rented 402 Reef, which is on the top floor. 2 Bedroom condo with rooftop hot tub and loungers. The condo was great. They will bring […] you water anytime you ask for it. We had an issue with the tv service and hot tub, but these were both corrected in a couple days. The pool, views, property - all great. The beach was perfect. Long stretch of public beach - great powder sand. Fantastic swim beach - wide and long. This is not a snorkeling beach. Walk to 5th Avenue shopping. Great casual dining about 100 yards down the beach - Fusion - live music every night - good food and service. We didn't eat at the hotel restaurant. We checked out the other properties in this area and El Faro looked to be the best of all worlds. We've done cruises and all inclusives, but this was our first condo experience. We LOVED it. We got well stocked at Walmart the first day (easy walk from condo and $5 taxi ride back). It was great having all we needed in the room. Took a cooler to the pool/beach every day - worked great. Saved a ton on money this way. Ate dinner out each night. We used a private car service from dreamdays - they were great! Fantastic stay - best vacation yet! We've never gone back to the same place, but we'd return here again for sure. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

This hotel has the perfect location. It is right on the beach and within walking distance of restaurants, night clubs and stores. The hotel is clean, comfortable and very affordable. All of the balconies face the ocean so you will have a great view. We really enjoyed our stay and plan to return.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

obviously I was truly satisfied with the hotel's location - a block away from the strip (aka La Quinta Avenida) and is at the heart of Playa's (as the locals call it) beachfront. Therefore, much money is saved on taxis because there isnt much need for them. In fact, after a night out on the strip you can literally walk home in minutes. Furthermore, […] the hotel itself is excellent. The rooms have plenty of space and have all of the ameneties necessary - makes you feel as if you the owner of a beach front home. Seriously. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Just got back from a 4 night stay at El Faro. I was very nervous after reading reviews that said security was rude and no potable water ect. We found quite the opposite to be true. They had a large filtered water dispenser (hot or cold) as well as a dispenser at the sink. Our 2 bedroom also included a working washer and dryer. Housekeeping came every […] day and even did the dishes. Check in did include taking inventory of the room but I appreciate the many beautiful decorations that could easily slip into someone's suitcase if they did not. I wasn't crazy about Wicky's music but it was not loud enough to disrupt us. Over all it is a beautiful property in a convenient and beautiful location run by friendly and helpful staff. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

The first condo assigned to us (Coral 202) had no dishwasher or washer & dryer. The unit was plummed for both but they had not yet been installed. We insisted on moving to a condo that had these utilities since were were there for over a week and I had called before we traveled to Mexico and confirmed our unit had these utilities. It took some coaxing, […] but Sylvia finally moved us to Coral 103 after the first night. We were very happy there and were grateful for the washer & dryer and dishwasher. I believe others complained about their units not being completely furnished as well. Once settled in our unit, the six of us were very comfortable and had a fabulous time. Beautiful pool, beach, music, food. I would recommend not bringing any valuable jewelry and use the safe. My daughter's wedding ring was missing at the end of our trip. Luckly she had insurance on it. She was devastated but can replace it. I would recommend these condos to others, just make sure you get a unit that is finished. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The hotel is nice, the room was big with an excellent view. It is a good option for families with more than 4 (we are 5 and is really dificulta to find a room that fits). In my opinion it needs more attention in cleaning and maintenance, it arena that if they don't work in that in a couple of years the condo won't be nice. The srrvice was.regular, the […] tv don't. Work for 2 days and nobody helped. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

We enjoyed our stay at the encanto el faro. Great location, beautiful beach out front, and very friendly staff.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

where's the hot tub for late night soaking? You need to be out of the pool by 9 pm

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

This place has the location, the staff, the decor, the pool, the restaurant and the entertainment. The restaurant in the community, Wicky's is absolutely awesome for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They have great food and excellent service. The location is right in the center of the famed 5th avenue.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

My wife and I spent one week of bliss at this wonderful place with its wonderful beach and ocean views. El faro is set on the best portion of the beach, the service all around was 5 star. The pool is fantastic and Wicky restaurant is top notch. the property has easy access to the best section of 5th ave only 1.5 blocks away.. Can't wait to go back again […] with family and friends. My standards are high, I cant understand a few bad reviews I've seen online. Bravo to the staff of Encanto el faro. Thank you Sylvia and front desk staff. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Great location to launch from. Right downtown on the beach. A block away from 5th Ave where all the main shopping and eating is. We walked the beach north and south for several miles and found the sand at its best in front of this hotel. Close to the peer to ferry over to Cozumel. A tourist company was next door we used to go to Chichen-Itza one day. We […] did not experience the noise issues others reported but we were in a south side room. The resturant and a bar next door on the north of the complex had music both recorded and live. It was fairly loud outside in the late afternoon, early evening. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

We are completly unsatisfied with the room and the front desk help. The room did not have all the amenities that were originaly offered or were there but not working: the cable TV never worked in the living room, the wireless internet modem was there but never worked, a souvenir was stolen from the kitchen one day we came back from our daily activites, […] and every morning we had ants in the kitchen. The front desk was no help in resolving these issues, every time we would bring it to their attention they would give us the run around and would never resolve anything, and to top it all off as we were checking out on the last day we were accussed of stealing a dvd player that apperantly went to the living room TV (the same TV we had complained to them various time that it was not working) the dvd player was never there to begin with. Overall we had a terrible experience at this hotel and we would not recommend it to nobody! Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Lovely facility right on the beach. Always an umbrella handy and a waiter nearby. Short walk to Avenida 5 and a myriad of restaurants and shops. Great central location for all the Riviera Maya excursions, and if you are a diver this is ground zero!

Genuine Expedia guest review