NICK PRICE by Stella Rentals

We had a ground floor unit that was quite nice, though the building is beginning to show its age at 12 yrs old. It took two days to work out the AC, and I found it frustrating that there weren’t any English TV shows. The rooftop looked as if it could be lovely. Maybe it had shade triangles at some point.

I liked the quiet and peace at Nick Price Residences, far enough from the bustle on Carmen's main drag but still a Caribbean paradise. The beach is in a little bay with turquoise water, palm trees, and local wildlife in the parkland. We saw geckos, iguana, coati, agouti, and lots of colourful birds that came over to say hello and share lunch. Residents can use the beach club down the road with a $12.50 USD minimum spend per person. When I checked beaches down at Tulum, they were asking $100-250 USD minimum spend per head. A lot has changed since I last visited 5 years ago. The apartments are modern, clean, and luxurious, with appliances, private swimming pools and barbecues. There’s a big TV in every room, large shower rooms, and walk-in wardrobes. I clocked the fast internet at 40Mbps down, much better than mobile data.

We stayed in a 2 bedroom condo in Building B for one week at the Nick Price Residences in October 2022. It was well equipped and would work for a couple, a family, or two couples. The pool area is expansive, good for swimming laps or relaxing, and there’s a quick shuttle to the clubhouse and golf. Getting around is inconvenient because the residence is just far enough from Playa Del Carmen that we’d say a car is a must. Taxi drivers ask 12-15 USD each way for nearby shopping or PDC downtown. If golf and quiet pool time or relaxing on your Apartment balcony are what you want, this place fits. For beach time, shops, restaurants, tours, and similar things, I’d look for somewhere within walking distance. The unit smelled a little musty, as though it may have been unoccupied for a while. It wasn’t messy, but could use a dehumidifier machine and a deep cleaning. The Marena beach club we were taken to was down a long, bumpy road, and we waited a long time for rides to and from the aged faculty, which needs much better upkeep and repair. What used to be an attractive beach club is now a sad shadow of its former self.

The jungle-style pools and Jacuzzi are amazing. Nature is all around, with spider monkeys near holes number 16/18, coatis around hole 15, and those small kapybaras too. I love it.