Playacar, Playa del Carmen: A Guide to the Villa Enclave
A gated neighborhood of beach houses a short walk from Quinta Avenida, and how it differs from the golf-course side.
Where to Stay
Where to stay in each destination we cover, compared area by area: beach access, transfers, whether you will walk or drive, and who each area suits. The guides cover Grand Cayman, Punta Cana, Casa de Campo, Antigua and Jumby Bay, St Barts, Zermatt, Verbier, Tulum and its quiet bays, Los Cabos and Punta Mita.
Several guides compare kinds of stay rather than places: hotels against villas in Punta Mita, catered chalets in Verbier, staffed villas with private chefs in Tulum, and the new design villas in Tulum's town and jungle. Where the publisher has an ownership interest in a rental business, the guide says so beside the link.
Playa del Carmen
Where to Stay in Playa del Carmen: Areas Compared
Downtown for energy, Playacar Phase 1 for a private beach house within walking distance, Phase 2 for golf and resorts.
Cozumel
Where to Stay in Cozumel: Town, North or South
San Miguel for walking, the north for calm condos, the south for oceanfront villas near the reefs: how Cozumel’s areas compare.
Costalegre
Where to Stay in Costalegre: Careyes, Las Rosadas or Tamarindo
No town, only enclaves: how Careyes, Las Rosadas, Tamarindo and Cuixmala compare, and how to choose the one that fits your trip.
Costa Careyes: A Guide to Careyes, Its Beaches and Villas
Coloured villas and casitas on the cliffs, a turtle sanctuary, polo and a small plaza: how the private estate works.
Puerto Vallarta
Conchas Chinas and Amapas: The Hills Above Old Vallarta
Private villas with bay views, minutes from the Romantic Zone: what the hillside offers, the stairs it demands, and the coves below.
Where to Stay in Puerto Vallarta: Neighborhoods Compared
The Romantic Zone for walking, the hillsides for a villa with a view, the south shore for seclusion: how Puerto Vallarta’s neighborhoods compare.
Mexico
Mexico
Fully Staffed Villas in Mexico: What’s Included and What Isn’t
The phrase has no standard meaning. Here is who is usually in the house, what the rate covers, and what ends up on the final bill.
Los Cabos
Celebrations in Los Cabos: Weddings and Events at a Private Villa
What a private villa can and cannot host, the difference between a legal and a symbolic wedding, and the rules to settle in writing before you book.
Advice that applies to every destination, such as rates, booking and paying safely, is in Plan & Book.