Vista Caribe Diving Resort Playa del Carmen

I’ve stayed here several times over the years, and earlier visits were generally not too shabby. The staff have always been friendly and quick to sort out problems. In December 2023, we had trouble with the first room, but they moved us to another. As with many rooms in Playa del Carmen, the rooms I’ve seen have dampness and an unpleasant bathroom smell. Renovations were underway then, and it looks like they still aren’t finished. For Nov. 21-29, 2025, I booked a family room because I like having space, even with just two of us. While we were at the airport, the hotel messaged that the pool area was being renovated and would be closed. I like to rinse off in the pool after a few hours at the beach, so that was a disappointment. Room 1109 was spacious, but had a lot of steps between the front part and the bathroom. That didn’t feel safe at night, so we asked to move. The first room they showed us also had several steps to the bathroom, but the second had none, so we took it and moved our belongings up to the second floor. When we were ready to go to dinner, we found the door lock falling apart and unable to lock. The front desk person already knew about it, since he’d unlocked the door for us. We had to go back to 1109. That room wasn’t clean. The previous guests’ trash was still in the bin, and one queen bed had dirty sheets with hair and what looked like fresh stains. I went to the desk for clean sheets and changed them myself. The next day they moved us to 1304, the same room we’d stayed in during December 2023. It was clean and spacious, but the rooms no longer have refrigerators or microwaves, which is a problem. Renovations covered the hallway area that used to look out over Quinta, and they’re making a nightclub there. Once it opens, the neighbors across the hall will be a boombox. Anywhere on or near Quinta, you’re going to hear music until 4 a.m. I’d stay here again because it’s ideal for us, with the beach less than 300 steps away. The staff are very helpful and friendly, and were even willing to put the cheese and chorizo we brought from Guadalajara in their personal fridge. I’ll add a comment after checkout about whether it’s still there. But there are things the owners need to fix: train staff to clean properly and give them more than a bucket, rags, and mop; replace ripped, stained, or torn sheets; and get better toilet seat covers, since these slip and can pinch a man’s testicles. We don’t need much, just a clean room and a refrigerator so we can keep beer and other drinks cold in this near-equatorial climate. Every other place we’ve stayed has had one. We’ve visited Quintana Roo twice a year since 2015. The staff can only do so much. The bigger issue is the owners, who should ask themselves whether they’d stay there and what they could do to make it worth $100 a night, given the hundreds of other places at similar prices.