AWA PLAYACAR RESIDENCES — Local services in Playa del Carmen

We stayed here for a month (February 2025). Everything very positive except for the security guards and attitude towards kids (read below).

POSITIVES:

Beautiful facilities & units are very well designed/built

Pool, gym, swim-up bar, etc. are all very nice

Swim-up bar is a great deal (piña coladas for $70p made with real ingredients - great flavor)

Very walkable with kids/strollers around Playacar. Lots of nice restaurants nearby (Palapa, Casa Sophia, etc.)

SECURITY If you are not an owner with a RFID card, you are treated as a criminal at the Playacar/AWA gates. It's insane.

Example #1: I am driving into Playacar gates with my mom. I have a wrist band, she did not bring her wristband (we are staying for a month). Playacar guards did not let her in without the wrist band. She is a 66 year old woman. I have a wristband. We are in a rental car. We are clearly tourists. They need to use some common sense.

Example #2: We are driving into the AWA car entry. DESPITE me having the wristband on (which previously for nearly a month all the AWA guards had accepted and let me in), a guard one night insisted on searching our trunk and also keeping my drivers license (and I could get it when we left!). I told her there is no way she is keeping my drivers license. She insisted on taking a photo of it. I later learned that photo is then shared in a Whatsapp group chat with all the other guards in Playacar. That is absoutely insane from a personal information security perspective.

CHILDREN & HOA Despite this place clearly being designed for families, there appear to be many old people that are hostile towards children and they create abritrary rules to limit children having fun and use the security guards to enforce them. Example: My daughter is quietly playing with Paw Patrol figurines in the pool. Security comes and tells her that toys in the pool are prohibited. I can understand reasonable policies such as no roughplay with toys like water guns, etc. But, no the policy is: NO TOYS OF ANY KIND!

I had some old man yell in my face about my wife and daughter swinging in the hammock. Again, nothing rough. Just gently swinging in the hammock having a good time.

The attitude is very much "kids can be seen, but not heard". Really, really dissappointed in this.

We would come back, but these are things you should definitely know...

This is an amazing place! Poolside dining and drinks. Amazing pool, 140m LONG, and fitness facilities. Apartments are gorgeous. Ours well furnished. Concierge. I could go on and on but just look it up for yourself. And Playacar is a gorgeous place for going out on stroll, jog, walk. Whether young crowd, young families, or empty nesters…suits all. UPDATE: This isn’t a resort/hotel. It is a residence and a community of owners. It’s one of the best in Playa del Carmen and is specifically located in Playacar. However, if you want to come and party hard this won’t be the place for you. If you want a great place to stay and you understand it’s not a hotel and that you do your “Wilding” outside of AWA, and you respect the rules,...

We are a family from NYC. We purchased amazing 3 bedroom at AWA. Management of the property is five stars. Apartment is amazing and spacious with high ceilings. Post sales department quickly fixes all what's needed.

We walk to the amazing beach by foot surrounded by picturesque golf courses ( 15 minutes walk). The pool at the property is one of the biggest around Playa del Carmen. There are several cafes across from AWA. Organic place COCO, italian, argenitian, and french cafe. 10 Minute walk to Playa Del Carmen town.

On the premises of AWA there will be 2 restaurants. They say that breakfast will be served from March 2022. Will check if this is true once we are back. So...