The Elements, Playa Del Carmen, Mexico — Hotel in Playa del Carmen

I’m having a hard time rating this complex. There were some good things and some bad things, so I’ll share my pros and cons for penthouse 7.

Pros -walking distance to lots of great places to eat and drink -area felt safe enough for us to let our 3 teens wander without adult supervision -penthouse 7 (3 bed, 3 bath) was very spacious and we had plenty of room for our family of 5. -filtered water provided with free jug refills (bring your own hydroflask, etc) -had a washer and dryer and both worked effectively so we could do our laundry -didn’t have any hot water issues with all the laundry and 5 people showering. -every room had its own thermostat so we were never hot in the condo -the large pool was nice -the beach was private -the beach club was convenient for cocktails -chairs were included so we didn’t have to pay for chair rental like is very common in Destin, FL where we typically vacation. -we had a decent view pool/partial ocean -unit was equipped with enough dishes, pots, and pans for the simple cooking we do on vacation.

Cons -the unit was not very clean. I couldn’t tell you when the floors were last mopped. Our feet got dirty from the floor just being in the unit -there were ants all over the floor in the main area and coming in through the sliding door -the hot tub didn’t work. -the master shower was gross. Pubic hairs from previous guests. I ended up cleaning it while we were there. -there was a dishwasher but no detergent provided and we couldn’t find any at the local Walmart or convenience stores so even though dishwasher was advertised, we had to wash everything by hand. -area rug in main room was dirty: hair and ants. I would have vacuumed it but there was no vacuum in the unit. -the whole unit needed a deep clean and updating. It looked like it was barely surface cleaned between reservations. We definitely left it cleaner than it was when we arrived. We stripped all the beds and started washing the bedding and washed/dryer/folded all the towels we used except what we used the morning of checkout. -sheets on beds were stained and honestly who knows if they had been washed because they didn’t smell like detergent. Nothing in the whole condo smelled of cleaning supplies when we arrived. -The walls were very dirty and needed new paint. -pictures made everything look newer, cleaner, nicer. -the master bedroom tv volume didn’t work when you tried to watch Netflix. It only worked for tv channels. -only 1 roll of TP provided per bathroom and we had to ask for more which the front desk couldn’t give us, only our concierge so we had to wait on his availability. -bugs coming in through one of the window cracks in the stair well up to the top floor. -the water in the pool was pretty warm which was disappointing it wasn’t really good for cooling off from the super hot days -the beach had a lot of seaweed and it stunk badly of sulfur. Some days were better than others and there were areas we could go in the water without issue but the piles of everything rotting ashore ruined the ocean smell. -the beach chairs could use replacing. Some were broken or very worn.

If the condo had been adequately cleaned and not full of bugs I would have been able to overlook some of the other things, but it just isn’t ok to not provide clean units. Especially in times of covid when we are still having to wear masks in the lobby, but then the beds and showers we are using aren’t cleaned and sanitized. You should have seen the stuff I scrubbed up from the master shower and how dirty it was. I’m talking the cleaning soap suds were dirty and dingy colored upon scrubbing. They probably were just rinsing it between guests which is disgusting.

Bottom line: I would only stay here again if deep cleaning were done and then adequate cleaning between guests as well as some minor updates, like painting and new bedding, were done. It wasn’t worth the...

For the renter Playa can be challenging. The beaches are all public, no umbrellas, no chairs...nothing only the beautiful sea and fine sand. If not staying at a sea side, luxury hotel, the walk from your condo to the beach lugging chairs, umbrellas ect can present an inconvenience. If reluctant to bring your own the options are paying a daily fee to a beach club or renting from locals on beach. The beach clubs provide all you will need, food, comfort and facilities but at a price, also they tend to be noisy with loud, thumping, incessant "music". So you find yourself on a lovely beach with decisions to make every day...can be a hassle!||Staying at THE ELEMENTS eliminates all of the above. It has its OWN PRIVATE BEACH, the only condo complex in Playa with this luxury. It has a beautiful extra large pool with showers and a Jacuzzi tub. The complex is configured so that everyone has direct ocean frontage from the large decks, in fact in my condo you could hear the sound of the surf...fantastic!!!The units are spacious with 21/2 baths, gigantic showers and plenty of closet space. This was the best condo that I have ever seen,and I travel often.||When renting premium properties one expects amenities..air, large screen TVs, stainless ect. However, the defining quality is service. The Elements has a virtual army of people to groom the grounds..always, every day. The maid, Mari, was gracious and pleasant, amazing as we speak no Spanish and she no English but it worked with a smile. Miguel, the 'manager' was fantastic..always. Speaks perfect English, always available for anything or everything...yes is the first word out of his mouth...toaster broken?one hour Miguel delivers a new one...trouble getting US TV channels phone in minutes...set up computer, cell phone ect..done...restaurant or travel info..pick up the phone..and wait for knock on door..my wife wanted her nails done...Miguel has someone..I needed a barber...done! Message on beach done....get the picture? And I must say the everyone at complex was gracious..always.||Luxury and amenities come with a price. The 2 bed condos are expensive but they can easily accomodate 6..the two floor penthouses are gigantic, complete with private roof top jacuzzi, but can easily sleep 8 or more with kids. If you want a memorable vaca and are willing to pay extra , but not that much extra, this is the place to bask in the sea, sun and go to a private beach with a private bar and a private...

I spent last week at The Elements condos with my family. Google Maps calls it a 4-star hotel, but I would say more like 3-star. The staff were accommodating at check with helping with our luggage, but we did not utilize them much after that. The pool is large, but its max depth is about three feet or so and on a hot day it's water is warmer than the beach. There is a beach area for The Elements guests only. Upon check-in they provide bracelets that allow for scanning in/out of side gates and the beach area. It's just a short walk across a small access road to the beach. The beach club area was clean and had plenty of chairs with umbrellas or straw cabanas for shade. We never had any trouble finding spaces. The beach/swim area is marked off with ropes/buoys, which makes sense because it's a busy area. Mid-morning all the dive boats come up to shore to drop off divers and change out tanks as well as fishing boats and jet skis. I don't mean that they interfered with lounging or swimming, it was just a bit busier than I expected. One of the guests that visits often told me there is a world-class reef for snorkeling just off-shore if you want to swim out about 100 yards.

When booking the trip we were on the fence about going to an all-inclusive resort or staying in a condo and going out for food. If you are considering the same options, I'd recommend all-inclusive. I got the feeling in the condo that there was nowhere really to lodge immediate complaints (about perhaps the internet in our rooms that I mention below) and that upkeep for the units is pushed to the owner(s). I did not lodge a complaint about poor wireless internet connection because I believe the hardware in the condo was cheap and I believe the infrastructure at an all-inclusive resort would be more robust (depending of course on where you're staying). There is also no daily room service, which is nice for fresh linen. And while we were well within walking distance to restaurants, it would have been easier to have that variety/availability within the confines of a resort. After paying for breakfast snacks and eating out each night, I don't believe there is any considerable cost advantage to...