Ocean Front Playa Del Carmen Condo at Mareazul - Corazon de Carmela

The unit that we rented was spacious, clean, and well-appointed. We were especially very happy with the ocean view and the large closets. The beach was fantastic, as was the pool. It could have been a perfect week.

However, we were not prepared for how remote we were. There is nothing within walking distance; not even a bus stop. No groceries, no ATM, literally nothing. With five people, we spent $50/day on taxi fare getting into town for meals, groceries, etc. I would highly recommend renting a car.

Also, there were little annoyances with the appliances. The washer/dryer combo came with no instructions, the iron did not work, nor the blender. There is really no assistance, you're basically on your own. We checked-in on Saturday and did not see a representative until Monday. Even calling a cab could be a pain, because we needed a 5-passenger and even with Spanish speakers in our group it often required a 20-minute delay when the wrong car would first appear.

TIP -- if you have them purchase groceries for you in advance be prepared to pay in cash. We didn't expect that and so were nearly out of cash one day after arrival! And if you buy groceries, go to the Mega and NOT the WalMart. We have a 50-minute line at WalMart when we bought groceries.

Mind you, if we had known these things in advance it could have been a very good trip. We would have brought much more cash, we would have checked all the appliances the first day and resolved the issues immediately rather than constantly discover problems at the last second, and we would have been mentally prepared for being on our own with no service desk to assist. If we had been prepared we would have been able to concentrate on the beautiful beach and surroundings.

The promotional pictures are accurate! The condo's layout, furnishings and 2nd floor location were perfect for a relaxing and fun filled spring break vacation with two teenagers. The pool and landscaping of the grounds were fabulous. Even with strong winds, the condo and the Mareazul complex provided a protected view of the ocean. The beach in front of the beach club was raked daily and the stretch of beach in front of Mareazul was delightful for walking. Enjoyed having access to the beach club for lunch and drinks. Highly recommend using the concierge service for travel activity information and to stock the fridge in advance of your arrival (very limited convenience store on site). We greatly appreciated the thoughtful welcome basket upon arrival. We rented a car for flexibility to travel from airport, sightseeing and to go into Playa for dinner (try the 5 course sampling menu at The Plank!)and entertainment in the evenings. However, taxis are readily available and reasonable to get at the entrance into the Mareazul development. We did get Mexican food delivered to the condo one night arranged thru the Grand Coral Visitors Front desk. Despite rain, we were able to play 18 holes at the Nick Price Golf course...the greens were in great shape and it was enjoyable and very convenient! Also, the Golf Club had a snack bar for lunch items. Many positives for the condo, the complex (incredible pool, cabanas, hammocks, tennis courts, work out room and jogging/walk trails) and the attentive property management Nasplaya both before our trip and during our vacation. A bonus --having an outdoor jacuzzi tub, a washer/dryer in the condo and the cleaning service during our stay. We hope to return and highly recommend this particular condo...the location in the complex exceeded our expectations!

Overall the property was amazing, great size perfect for a family reunion, well maintained and the best of all, waking up with an amazing beach view and the sound of the waves. Unique great property to have some real vacation time.

This is actually my second time staying at this particular condo. Liked it SO much I came back for my 60th birthday along with 2 friends and my sister! It's great for anyone that wants to just sit by the pool or beachside or for those that want adventure, there are wonderful ruins to explore and the city of Playa del Carmen is very quaint. The city is very close, right outside the gates, all within a quick cab ride for those that didn't rent a car. There is a large market a short distance away for those that like to cook at home and the restaurants in town are great!

But the best thing about this condo is the breathtaking view just sitting on the deck, looking at the azure blue sea, the people kite sailing, and the clouds in the distance! It's magical!

Stayed for 5 nights. Everything was perfect starting with the location and the views from the balcony. We ate all our dinners out on the outdoor dining table! The patio jacuzzi was a real blessing. There were only 2 things we would have improved on our experience. 1) the directions should make it more clear that the guards from the property entrance need to accompany you your first time in order to let you into the building. 2) the AC stopped working mysteriously on the 5th night. It was after we had all fallen asleep that we wove up in a sweat. We didn't call anyone as it was only a few hours till we had to catch a flight.

Having said that, our stay overall was most pleasant. Carla was a real resource in giving us all the info we needed and hooking us up with local phones. We also got water delivered as per our needs.