Customer Reviews

Playa del Carmen, Tulum & The Riviera Maya: Great Destinations Mexico: A Complete Guide (Great Destinations) (Great Destinations Playa del Carmen, Tulum & the Rivera)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This may have been a fine guide in the past (published 2006, info from 2005... and now it is 2008). The area has developed rapidly and pricing in the guide has basically doubled. Numerous great hotels are not listed, and many restaurants no longer exist or have moved or the telephone number has changed. This guide is limted in its usefulness. The guide is focused on the tourist as opposed to the traveler and does a fine job of guiding you through the various tourist options. It does a very poor job of helping you get to some of the less crowded places.

A useful travel guide for not only planning a trip to Playa del Carmen, but I felt compelled to bring it along with me for last-minute detours. A well organized format and engaging side bars made it a pleasure to read. History and local colloquialisms an added bonus.

Recently used this guide in concert with the Can-Do map/guide. Where the Can-Do gave us pretty great information in summary and map format, with lots of efficient descriptions and great recommendations, this guide is very good for research in advance. Restaurants and destinations are well described and written, with good background for some of the historical sites. Can't attest too much for the accuracy of many of the resort descriptions since we had researched our accomodations otherwise.

It did help us quickly locate a sports bar in Playa open on Christmas day with a satellite feed of a key football game we wanted to see. Thanks!

Worth carrying along with you everyday (my ultimate test!), along with the Can-Do map.

This is a great book for an overall review of the Mayan Riviera. It mainly focuses on the more popular spots but does include a lot of info on "hidden gems". Easy to read. I recommend this book.

I purchased this just a couple of weeks before a trip to Playa de Carmen. The book has information that helps you beforehand and during the trip. It does a good job of explaining each region with maps, hotel information, restaurants, and activities. We had a few things we definitely wanted to purchase while visiting, and I used the book to mark stores and their locations before we walked into Playa de Carmen. One of my regrets was forgetting to copy the map of Playa before we left so I could fold it in my pocket. (I did not want to tear the page out of the book.)

The book did list some of the local beers that are available. It did not do the same with some of the local cuisine. Thankfully I found some of the information online. Half the fun of traveling is enjoying the flavors of their food.

I would recommend this book to anyone visiting Playa.

We referred to this guide before, during and after our trip to the Mexican Riviera time and time again. Great tips and reviews from hotels, restaurants, local customs and places to see off the beaten path. Grab it before you go and do your research.

HAD THE BEST TIME IN PLAYA
this little book went everywhere with us and was a great aid on our first trip to Playa......beaches, resturants, and shopping were all right on, and the ruins info gave us great heads up for the rest of the guides' info
on the tours.....there is just too much to do, but that is not the books fault.....great vacation!!!

Every question that I had was answered in just scaning the book. When I sat down to read it, there was so much more information that was useful. It was ovious that the author knows this area well and knows the bumps of travel. Even better, he knows the bumps of this area. I will be returning to the Yucatan in the future and will keep this book for the return visit.

A great travelbook, but even though it was recently published...some of the details are outdated. For example, the pryamid at Chichen Itza is off-limits and can no longer be climbed...a detail that the book fails to mention. More pictures, and some colored ones would have been nice as well.

This book was really helpful for my first trip to Playa del Carmen - it has many good tips. He is correct that you can land here without a hotel reservation and find a place to stay easily - there are also many different types of lodging available. I wish I had this book months in advance of the trip for the lodging info instead of just before arriving.

I came to Playa to attend a friend's wedding and made the mistake of booking at the Blue Parrot, along with the wedding party. I got stuck at the 5th Ave, which was a bummer - it was in the heart of party central. In my opinion, even if you want to party all night, avoid hotels that are on the main section of 5th Ave or you won't get any sleep. Many of the clubs have bands that play late into early hours of the morning. I was unimpressed by everything about the Blue Parrot Hotels, including the food at the beach cafe. I had friends who stayed at the suites, and they said it was quieter there - those also have refrigerators, and the 5th Ave units do not.

I abandoned my digs after a few days and moved to the Luna Blue Hotel & Garden upon the recommendation of a friend - what a difference! It's off the main walkway and at the quieter end of town (though for how long - who knows - construction is booming here with new hotels going up everywhere). The hotel is owned by a friendly American couple, Tony & Cheri, who do a great job at making you feel at home. The hotel is a tropical paradise with many plants and trees in the courtyard that is central to all units. I stayed in the unit with a full kitchen - what a delight! Moving hotels completely changed my experience in Playa. I also appreciate the guide book information and recommendations for food. Au Cacao has amazing cafe mocha frappe, and Aca Los Tacos is the place to go for tacos al pastor. They are right next door to each other, so don't miss it!