Playa Del Carmen - Banyan Tree

[Bochuryerushalayim]

Trip Report – Playa Del Carmen

Notable Tips:

Bring Cash:
Many restaurants (kosher) will only take cash. Zelle is offered occasionally with a surcharge being tacked on at times.
Many cabs will charge an additional 10 – 16% surcharge for CC. The reason being that they say that there are taxes that must be added.
Lastly, there are many other vendors such as car rentals and street carts which will only take cash.[/li][/list]

Phone service:
We did not have a need to purchase phone service as T-Mobile offers plans that have free text and calling to the US and Mexico as well as 2gig of data. Check with your phone carrier prior.

Sunburns:
The sun is noticeably hotter than in the US. Beware of sunburns! If you do get a sunburn, there are numerous pharmacies which sell after burn aloe vera which worked well for us.

Exchange Rate:
When paying in USD always be wary of the exchange rate that you are being charged.

Pricing Scams:
Beware of being overcharged by vendors when using a CC.
Our experience – We agreed on a price of $50 USD with our cab driver for the trip from CUN to Playa. Upon checking we determined that the driver had charged us $70. We agreed on a price of 850 pesos (app. $50 USD) for the trip from Playa to CUN. Upon checking the driver had actually simply added a 0 and charged $8,500 pesos. Rest assured we promptly disputed both charges and received a full refund.

Places to Stay:

Notes – There are many great options for where to stay for the duration of your visit to Playa Del Carmen. We will only be speaking to the two places we stayed personally. For Sunday - Thursday we stayed in a resort named the Banyan Tree. For Friday – Sunday we stayed in an apartment building named Kaab at South Beach. Please see below as to the how and why of these two stays.

Banyan Tree:
Travel agent used – SYMiles
Email – netlevy@yahoo.com
Number – 917-275-2334
Notes – Payment must be made either in cash or zelle. Booking through a travel agent aside from getting us a discount proved to give us lots of perks. See complimentary items below.

Cost – $2,030 for 4 nights.
Villa type – Bliss Villa.
Website – https://www.banyantree.com/mexico/mayakoba
Number – +52-984-877-3688
Gated Resort – Yes
Complimentary items: Credit to the travel agent – Free breakfast, 1 bottle of wine, $100 resort credit, 20% off at the spa. Applicable to everyone – Water, fruit.

Activities on premises:
Notes - All activities (aside from kayaking) must be booked in advance. Booking can be done with the front desk.
Boat Ride – Complimentary.
Kayaking – Complimentary.
Yacht Tour (55’ yacht) – Fee associated.
Scuba Diving – Fee associated.
Seabob – Fee associated.
Jet skiing – Fee associated.
Snorkel – Fee associated.
Banana boating – Fee associated.
Hydrobike – Fee associated.
Archery – Fee associated.
Tennis – Fee associated.
Paddleball / Pickleball – Fee associated.

Notes:
Villa Type - The Bliss villa is the lowest class villa type. A Serenity Villa (one class upgrade) would have costed an additional $500. As all the Serenity has to offer on top of what is already provided with the Bliss is an additional room on the other side of the pool and a slightly larger pool, we did not feel it worth the expense.

Water – We believe that the complimentary water provided by the hotel is tap water. However at the front desk there is pure bottled water provided in cartons.

Beware – Of the racoons. As the hotel is in the middle of a jungle there is wildlife around. One of the most common animals to be found are racoons. They are always in search of food, and should you leave the door to your room open they will enter and tear apart any food items (particularly at night). They even entered our room whilst we were inside. They are afraid of humans and taking a step toward them will cause them to scamper.

Room Service – The hotel makes room service readily available and a simple call to the front desk can get you anything from a bottle of water to a golf cart to take you anywhere on grounds.

Cab – If you would like to take a cab somewhere you can simply call the front desk and they will order a cab for you. The cost to downton Playa os approximately 450 pesos. If you are using a cc it is an additional 50 pesos. If you would like to order your own cab then you must let the front desk know the time and name of the driver coming.
Beach – The beach and pool area (located on the beach) are both generally quite full. However, there are private areas further along the beach away from the pool area which you can walk to. This is only possible to reach if you walk through the full area though.

WhatsApp Chat (Guests) – There is a WhatsApp chat which enables the frum guests to assist each other both at the hotel as well as in Playa Del Carmen as a whole. https://chat.whatsapp.com/BI0A5peHi1G23pgseRT9PF

WhatsApp Chat (Hotel) – The hotel provides a whatsapp chat which you can use to request items from room service etc. +52-984-188-5484

Breakfast – The hotel does provide breakfast. Please be advised there is no mashgiach supervising the breakfast. Below I have pasted the message (edited for clarity) sent on the Banyan Tree chat our first day in the hotel. Do what’s best for you. We brought a pan.

Hashgacha – Please be advised there is no hashgacha supervision and the kashrus is truly in your hands.

Pan / Spatula – It is recommended that you bring your own pan / spatula as a non-Jew is not believed halachically on the kosher status of a dish.

Light the flame – It is recommended that you either light the flame or stir the eggs. If a non-Jew performs the entire cooking process, not only is the food no allowed to be eated but the pan becomes treif as well.

Oil – Due to commercial kitchens at times refilling oil bottles you must see the waiter open the sealed bottle of oil.

Eggs – Make sure to personally check the eggs.

Lox – To eat the lox you must see the waiter open a sealed package with a hechsher in front of you.

Fruit / Vegetables – It is recommended to personally cut the fruits and vegetables yourself as you do not know what sort of knife was used. You can request the waiter to bring you a whole fruit or vegetable.

Spinach – The fresh spinach offered is not checked and cannot be eaten.

Decide for yourself: In a hotel of this caliber, it is assumed that the kitchen follows proper health department regulations and has separate color-coded cutting boards for fruits and vegetables and perhaps even knives. So, there is the ability to allow the eating of fruits and vegetables cut by the hotel. Even the onions which according to the majority of poskim are a Dvaar Chariff and should be cut with a kosher knife and cutting board, may be eaten if you choose to rely on the fact that the hotel is cutting many onions and whatever might not have been kosher on the knife will become botel bshishim.

Kaab South beach:
Booked Through – Booking.com ($230 for 3 nights).
Website – https://www.kaabrentals.com/en
Distance from Chabad – 4 minutes.
Shabbos entry – They provide a key.
Amenities – Plunge pool (essentially a cold hot tub).
Notes – Located in an apartment building with a doorman. Solid accommodations. Clean, neat, two bathrooms, sofe bed, good Wi-Fi.

Minyan / Shabbos:

Notes:
You can either spend Shabbos at one of the Chabad houses or you can order Shabbos food to your hotel from any of the restaurants listed above. The Grill (in the grand hyatt) has Shabbos dine in options as well.

Chabad Playa Del Carmen (located at 20 Avenida Nte. S/N, entre calle 2 y aenito juarez):
Shacharis – 9:00 Am.
Mincha / Maariv – 15 minutes before Shkia.
Sefer torah – Yes.
Number - +52-984-228-0425
Website - https://chabadplaya.org/
Notes – This is the more popular Chabad and will generally have a minyan.
Cost – Friday night – Adult $35 pp – Child - $25 pp / Shabbos day – Adult - $25 pp – Child - $10 pp
Shabbos:
We spent Shabbos here and had a great experience. The number of guests can vary between 150 – 500. The food (and drink) was plentiful and tasty. The rabbis are super nice.

Chabad Playa Del Carmen (located at 10 Avenida NTE.):
Shacharis – This is the less popular chabad and therefore will not always have a minyan.
Mincha / Maariv – This is the less popular chabad and therefore will not always have a minyan.
Sefer Torah - Unsure
Number – +52-984-147-2387
Website - https://www.jewishplaya.com/?lang=en
Notes - This is the less popular chabad and therefore will not always have a minyan. We did not spend Shabbos here, but they do have Shabbos options for guests.

Banyan Tree Hotel:
Shacharis – Posted on WhatsApp group.
Mincha / Maariv – Posted on WhatsApp group.
Sefer Torah – Sometimes receives one from the Chabad in playa del carmen
Number (whatsapp group link) - https://chat.whatsapp.com/BI0A5peHi1G23pgseRT9PF
Website (Ember) - https://www.banyantree.com/mexico/mayakoba/dining/the-ember
Notes – Minyan times are informal and are generally decided by whoever happens to be in the hotel at the time via the WhatsApp group.
Shabbos – There are no group Shabbos meals and instead everyone eats themselves at their own leisure.

The Grill (located in the grand hyatt):
Number – +52-984-875-1234
Website – https://www.thegrillplaya.com/
Notes – We did not eat the Shabbos meal here. However, see above for notes on the general menu and ambiance. Must order prior to 9:00 pm Thursday night or incur a 20% surcharge. Make sure you are within walking distance.

Food (bought):

Bringing meat into Mexico – We were warned repeatedly that upon arrival to Mexico we would be stopped and any raw meat we had would be confiscated. In the end we did not bring meat and were not stopped. We were advised that cooked meat would be allowed to pass through. We did have some cooked meat and got through but obviously this may have been due to not getting stopped.
Supermarkets – Many supermarkets have kosher snacks and chips. You will not find much more than that.
Costco (cancun) – Supposedly Costco in Cancun sells some kosher chicken and meat. We did not have a chance to make our way over there to check.
Chabad Kosher Market (Playa) – There is an independently run kosher market in the Chabad compound at 20 Avenida Nte. S/N, entre calle 2 y aenito juarez. The variety is quite small. We saw baby chicken, rib steak, kabobs, chicken drumsticks and one or two more items. They also sell klik chocolate and some Israeli snacks.

Food (restaurants):

Notes – There are many kosher restaurants located in Playa Del Carmen. We would recommend checking into the kashrus certification of each one independently and determining on your own whether it is a good fit for you. From our experience, should a restaurant state that there is a mashgiach temidi on premises it is still worth a double check. Additionally, should there be an individual seemingly orthodox in the store when you visit it is still worth ensuring the individual is trustworthy. From our research it seemed that KMD was the considered the top hechsher you would find with IKM being a close second.

Platinum Grill (Meat):
Kashrus Certification – KMD.
Mashgiach temidi – On our trip there was.
Cost – Mid range (for Playa).
Our bill (2 people) - $106 USD (including tip).
Location (downtown playa del carmen) – Calle 28 Nte. Calle Cozumel Aldea Thai Gonzalo Guerrero - Near 5th avenue / Near the beach / 15 minute walk from Chabad at 20 Avenida Nte. S/N, entre calle 2 y aenito juarez.
Alcoholic Drinks – They sell wine, beer and hard alcohol. No cocktail menu offered.
Delivery - $250 pesos delivery charge. Delivery took around 45 minutes. Ordering can be done via WhatsApp. The delivered food tasted great.
Number – +52-322-124-1247.
Website - https://platinum-grill-more-playa-del-carmen.business.site/?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=referral
Credit card accepted – Yes, for both in store and delivery (ask about their online CC option for delivery).
Hours of operation – Sunday – Thursday – 2:00 pm – 10:30 pm / Friday – 10:00 am – 3:00 pm.
Open Saturday Night – No.
Notes – We really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. We dined in as well as ordered, both were great experiences.

Ember (Meat):
Kashrus Certification – KMD.
Mashgiach temidi – On our trip there was.
Cost – Upper range.
Our bill (2 people) - $227 USD (including tip).
Location (mayakoba) – Carretera Federal Chetumal-Puerto Juαrez KM 298
Riviera Maya - Located inside the Banyan Tree resort (unsure if you can enter without booking a room).
Alcoholic Drinks – None. They are also strict regarding bringing in outside drinks.
Delivery – Unsure whether they offer delivery.
Number – +52-984-877-3688 ex. 7222.
Website - https://banyantreemayakoba.com/ember/
Credit card accepted – Yes.
Hours of operation – Sunday – Thursday – 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm / 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm.
Open Saturday Night – No.
Notes – It seemed to us that there is no actual kitchen and instead they simply warm up premade food. The atmosphere felt like a typical dining room and not so much like a high end restaurant.

The Grill (Meat):
Kashrus Certification – IKM (International Kosher Mehadrin).
Mashgiach temidi – On our trip there was.
Cost – Upper range.
Our bill (2 people) - $232 USD (including tip).
Location (downtown playa del carmen)  – 1A Avenida Esquina Calle 26, Centro - Located inside the Grand Hyatt (you can enter with no room booked). Located near 5th avenue, near the beach, 15 minute walk from Chabad on 20 Avenida Nte. S/N, entre calle 2 y aenito juarez.
Alcoholic Drinks – Full cocktail and wine menu offered.
Delivery – Yes – Unsure about surcharge.
Number – +52-984-875-1234.
Website – https://www.thegrillplaya.com/
Credit card accepted – Yes. For both in store and delivery.
Hours of operation – Sunday – Thu – 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm / 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm / Friday – 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm.
Open Saturday Night – Yes Call for times.
Notes – This was the best food we had in Playa Del Carmen as well as a very high-end atmosphere. The restaurant is located right near the pool area with a view of the beach.

Moshe Cube (Meat):
Kashrus Certification – Rabbi Chaim Barod – Chabad Playa (American Kosher).
Mashgiach temidi – ?
Cost – Mid range
Our bill (2 people) - $100 USD (including tip).
Location (downtown playa del carmen)  – Calle 38 Nte. entre av. 10 y av. 20 norte, Gonzalo Guerrero
Alcoholic Drinks – None.
Delivery – Yes – Unsure about surcharge.
Number – +52-984-172-5980.
Website – https://www.moshecubekosher.com/
Credit card accepted – Yes. For both in store and delivery.
Hours of operation – Sunday – Thursday – 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm / Friday – 12:00 pm – 4:30 pm.
Open Saturday Night – No.
Notes – Very solid food. Israeli style. Outdoor and indoor seating available. This was the only restaurant on our trip which was super busy when we went. 

Coco Rico (Meat):
Kashrus Certification – Rabbi Chaim Barod – Chabad Playa (American Kosher).
Mashgiach temidi – ?
Cost – Lower Range.
Our bill (2 people) – We did not eat here.
Location (downtown playa del carmen)  – C. 10 Nte. Esq. 10, Gonzalo Guerrero.
Alcoholic Drinks – None.
Delivery – Yes – Unsure about surcharge.
Number – +972-50-372-2555 / +52-686-718-9149.
Website – https://cocoricokosher.com/
Credit card accepted – Yes. For both in store and delivery.
Hours of operation – 9:00 am – 12:00 am.
Open Saturday Night – Yes call for times.
Notes – We did not eat here.

Let’s Meat (Meat):
Kashrus Certification – Rabbi Chaim Barod – Chabad Playa (American Kosher)
Mashgiach temidi – ?.
Cost – Mid range
Our bill (2 people) – We sat down and only ordered drinks as we had just eaten somewhere else.
Location (downtown playa del carmen)  – 20 Avenida Nte. S/N, entre calle 2 y aenito juarez – Inside the Chabad compound.
Alcoholic Drinks – Full cocktail menu
Delivery – Yes – Unsure about surcharge.
Number – +52-984-100-7986
Website – https://letsmeatplaya.com/
Credit card accepted – No. They do offer payment through zelle though.
Hours of operation – Sunday – Thursday – 2:00 pm – 10:00 pm / Friday – 12:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Open Saturday Night – No
Notes – We did not eat here.  Additionally, this restaurant is NOT owned by Chabad and has independent ownership. Ownership is the same as Mas Pan.

Two Smokers Kosher Smokehouse (Meat):
Kashrus Certification – Rabbi Chaim Barod – Chabad Playa (American Kosher)
Mashgiach temidi – ?.
Cost – Mid range
Our bill (2 people) – We did not eat here.
Location (downtown playa del carmen)  – C.38 mz. 151 LT -10 S/N esquina, Quinta Avenida, Centro
Alcoholic Drinks – Unsure
Delivery – Unsure
Number – +52-984-173-8044 / +52-984-179-6977
Website – None
Menu - https://www.canva.com/design/DAEs0IawZ_Y/aAIzqrkPqUmFrg-dZXcn2g/view?website#2:two-smoker-men-digital
Credit card accepted – Unsure.
Hours of operation – Sunday – Thursday – 1:00 pm – 11:00 pm / Friday – 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Open Saturday Night – No
Notes – We did not eat here. 

Chabad (Meat):
Kashrus Certification – Rabbi Chaim Barod – Chabad Playa (American Kosher)
Mashgiach temidi – Yes
Cost – Lower Range
Our bill (2 people) – We did not eat here.
Location – (Other than Shabbos) No dine in offered
Alcoholic Drinks – (Other than Shabbos) None
Delivery – Yes – Unsure about surcharge.
Number – +1-347-707-9534 /
Website – https://chabadplaya.org/
Credit card accepted – Yes. For both in store and delivery.
Hours of operation - Unsure
Open Saturday Night – No
Notes – We did not order food from here. However, we did eat by Chabad on Shabbos and the food was very tasty. 

Malka (Dairy):
Kashrus Certification – Rabbi Chaim Barod – Chabad Playa (American Kosher)
Mashgiach temidi – ?
Cost – Lower range (for Playa)
Our bill (2 people) - $45 USD
Location (downtown playa del carmen) – 20 Avenida Nte. S/N, entre calle 2 y aenito juarez – Inside the Chabad compound.
Alcoholic Drinks – You can buy shots. No cocktail menu.
Delivery – Yes. Unsure about surcharge.
Number – +52-984-167-9098
Website - https://malka-kosher.jimdosite.com/
Credit card accepted – Yes, for both in store and delivery.
Hours of operation – Sunday – Thursday – 9:00 am – 10:00 pm / Friday – 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Open Saturday Night – Yes. Call for times.
Notes – Solid food. Israeli falafel store vibe.

Mas Pan Bake and Roll (Dairy):
Kashrus Certification – Rabbi Chaim Barod – Chabad Playa (American Kosher)
Mashgiach temidi – No
Cost – Mid range (for Playa)
Our bill (2 people) - $60 USD (including tip)
Location (downtown playa del carmen) – Calle 6 Norte, Av. Solidaridad Mza 5 Lte 1, Centro
Alcoholic Drinks – No
Delivery – Yes. Unsure about surcharge.
Number – +52-984-100-7986
Website - None
Credit card accepted – No. Zelle offered with a $5 surcharge for orders under $100 and 5% surcharge for orders over $100.
Hours of operation – Sunday – Thursday – 10:00 am – 10:00 pm / Friday – 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
Open Saturday Night – Yes / Call for times.
Notes – Solid food. Typical pizza store vibe.

Transportation:

Rental Car:
Notes – Although a rental car may be an attractive option for some. Beware of price changes upon arrival.
Our experience - We booked two reservations one with Europcar and one with Fox (turns out they are both the same company). The price was $149 for the week. Upon arrival we were told that if we did not purchase the collision insurance, we must put a $15,000 deposit down in case of any damages. They refused to accept CC insurance (sapphire reserve) without a letter from the CC company expressly assigning a Mexican insurance carrier which would be liable for any damage incurred. The cost with the insurance was approximately $500 for the week.
Additionally – We were warned that should you rent the car, upon return the rental company will attempt to make you liable for any slight damage that can be found on the car even if it was there prior to you renting the car. Should you decide to rent a vehicle ensure that you have a clear video of the entire car and record any damage already there prior to leaving the lot. With that said it is possible that major chains such as hertz and enterprise will not have this issue. Additionally, see below for a rental option utilized by acquaintances of ours.

Other rental option:
Number – +52-844-297-5567
Website – Unsure if there is one
Notes – We did not rent from this individual. However, he came recommended by acquaintances that have used him. We did message him as we were considering renting with him, and he seemed to be a decent guy.
Other notes:
Mopeds, Motorcycles and cars are all available.
Delivery to your hotel is available for a $30 surcharge (Playa).
Paying with a CC will incur a significant surcharge (taxes).
A $400 hold will be placed on your CC for the duration of the rental.
If you pay in USD the exchange rate will be inflated a bit in favor of the vendor.
One week rental = $1,000 pesos daily.
One day rental = $1,200 pesos

Cabs:
Notes:
All cabs can be haggled with and never take the first quote at face value. With that said there are obviously limitations to how low they will go.
Many cabs will charge a 10 – 16% fee for payment with CC.
If you are paying in USD be wary of the exchange rate being used.
If you are in a gated resort that books the cabs for you, you will be charged a bit more. A workaround for this can be to call your own cab and ensure the front desk is notified of the driver’s name so they let him into the grounds.
If you pay with a CC beware of the driver charging more than the agreed upon price (see above for our experience)

Taxi Prices (what we paid with CC):
CUN – Banyan Tree (40 minutes) = $50 USD (standard is $90 USD but you can get $60 USD easily).
Banyan Tree – Downtown Playa (hotel book) (20 minutes) = $495 pesos.
Downtown Playa – Banyan Tree (20 minutes) = $350 pesos.
Downtown Playa – Cenote Azul (40 minutes) = $1,000 pesos round trip with a two hour wait time.
Downtown Playa – CUN (40 minutes each way) = $50.
Downtown Playa – Downtown Playa - $200 Pesos.

Cab Drivers Used:
Manuel:
Number - +52-984-165-7040.
Notes – Decent fellow. Does not work Sundays.
Alejandro:
Number – +52-984-177-1560.
Notes – Decent fellow. Does not work Saturday or Sunday. Starts work at 4pm.
Elias:
Number - +52-998-874-1314.
Notes -Elias is the most widely used and is Jewish. His prices may be a bit more than the average but he is super reliable.

Activities:

Notes – There are many activities to do in Playa Del Carmen. Activities can range from skydiving to scuba diving. We were not looking to do many activities and will therefore only list the one activity we did, which was go to the Cenote. There are many Cenote options available, we went to Cenote Cristalino. Please note that the most popular cenote (cenote azul) is within walking distance of cenote Cristalino.

Cenote Cristalino:
Distance from Playa Del Carmen – Cab 40 minutes.
Transportation fee – 1,000 pesos round trip with a 2 hour wait by cab. There are significantly cheaper options with a shuttle.
Entrance fee – 200 pesos per person
Hours of operation – Monday – Friday - 9am – 5pm / Saturday – Sunday – 8am – 6pm
Website – https://cenotesmexico.org/cenote-cristalino/
Notes – We went on a Friday and had a very pleasant time. The cenote was really pretty with fish that bite the dead skin off your feet, all over. The cenote was not packed, and we had plenty of breathing room. There is also cliff jumping for whoever would like, at the cenote. Life jackets are provided.

[shlomoandtam]

Great!! Love the style. Just facts. Love it.

[liosac]

I would point out that if the beach goers in their attire are not נראה לעינים when walking through the pool and beach area, the bugs in the spinach and other vegetables certainly aren’t, and can be eaten without any issue.

[Aps]

Thank you! Great Report!

[Aps]

@Bochuryerushalayim Which cab service did you use to/from the airport?
You should get this report on the Master TR page

[Bochuryerushalayim]

@Aps We were supposed to rent a car, however due to price changes it did not work out. See below for the copy/paste as to why I did not share the airport cab information requested. With that said I have listed some reputable cab drivers most notably Elias. Regarding the suggestion to getting this on the master thread, I unfortunately am not to familiar with this site and would not know how to do so. I post my reports simply because prior to going on a trip I wish information like this would be handy as opposed to reading what color the dishes were in Emirates business class. Feel free to take a look at my other two trips I posted South Africa and Colombia.

Pricing Scams:
Beware of being overcharged by vendors when using a CC.
Our experience – We agreed on a price of $50 USD with our cab driver for the trip from CUN to Playa. Upon checking we determined that the driver had charged us $70. We agreed on a price of 850 pesos (app. $50 USD) for the trip from Playa to CUN. Upon checking the driver had actually simply added a 0 and charged $8,500 pesos. Rest assured we promptly disputed both charges and received a full refund.

[Aps]

@Bochuryerushalayim Thanks for the info. 
I wrote up TR for Panama, and I tried sticking to helpful info for the same reason. I did post many pictures but not of my appetizer, soup entree, drink and dessert lol.

Here’s a link on instructions to pot your TR to the wiki in the Master TR list.

https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=1884.msg2620100#msg2620100

[Brooklyn Guy]

Trip Report – Playa Del Carmen

Notable Tips:

Bring Cash:
Many restaurants (kosher) will only take cash. Zelle is offered occasionally with a surcharge being tacked on at times.
Many cabs will charge an additional 10 – 16% surcharge for CC. The reason being that they say that there are taxes that must be added.
Lastly, there are many other vendors such as car rentals and street carts which will only take cash.[/li][/list]

Phone service:
We did not have a need to purchase phone service as T-Mobile offers plans that have free text and calling to the US and Mexico as well as 2gig of data. Check with your phone carrier prior.

Sunburns:
The sun is noticeably hotter than in the US. Beware of sunburns! If you do get a sunburn, there are numerous pharmacies which sell after burn aloe vera which worked well for us.

Exchange Rate:
When paying in USD always be wary of the exchange rate that you are being charged.

Pricing Scams:
Beware of being overcharged by vendors when using a CC.
Our experience – We agreed on a price of $50 USD with our cab driver for the trip from CUN to Playa. Upon checking we determined that the driver had charged us $70. We agreed on a price of 850 pesos (app. $50 USD) for the trip from Playa to CUN. Upon checking the driver had actually simply added a 0 and charged $8,500 pesos. Rest assured we promptly disputed both charges and received a full refund.

Places to Stay:

Notes – There are many great options for where to stay for the duration of your visit to Playa Del Carmen. We will only be speaking to the two places we stayed personally. For Sunday - Thursday we stayed in a resort named the Banyan Tree. For Friday – Sunday we stayed in an apartment building named Kaab at South Beach. Please see below as to the how and why of these two stays.

Banyan Tree:
Travel agent used – SYMiles
Email – netlevy@yahoo.com
Number – 917-275-2334
Notes – Payment must be made either in cash or zelle. Booking through a travel agent aside from getting us a discount proved to give us lots of perks. See complimentary items below.

Cost – $2,030 for 4 nights.
Villa type – Bliss Villa.
Website – https://www.banyantree.com/mexico/mayakoba
Number – +52-984-877-3688
Gated Resort – Yes
Complimentary items: Credit to the travel agent – Free breakfast, 1 bottle of wine, $100 resort credit, 20% off at the spa. Applicable to everyone – Water, fruit.

Activities on premises:
Notes - All activities (aside from kayaking) must be booked in advance. Booking can be done with the front desk.
Boat Ride – Complimentary.
Kayaking – Complimentary.
Yacht Tour (55’ yacht) – Fee associated.
Scuba Diving – Fee associated.
Seabob – Fee associated.
Jet skiing – Fee associated.
Snorkel – Fee associated.
Banana boating – Fee associated.
Hydrobike – Fee associated.
Archery – Fee associated.
Tennis – Fee associated.
Paddleball / Pickleball – Fee associated.

Notes:
Villa Type - The Bliss villa is the lowest class villa type. A Serenity Villa (one class upgrade) would have costed an additional $500. As all the Serenity has to offer on top of what is already provided with the Bliss is an additional room on the other side of the pool and a slightly larger pool, we did not feel it worth the expense.

Water – We believe that the complimentary water provided by the hotel is tap water. However at the front desk there is pure bottled water provided in cartons.

Beware – Of the racoons. As the hotel is in the middle of a jungle there is wildlife around. One of the most common animals to be found are racoons. They are always in search of food, and should you leave the door to your room open they will enter and tear apart any food items (particularly at night). They even entered our room whilst we were inside. They are afraid of humans and taking a step toward them will cause them to scamper.

Room Service – The hotel makes room service readily available and a simple call to the front desk can get you anything from a bottle of water to a golf cart to take you anywhere on grounds.

Cab – If you would like to take a cab somewhere you can simply call the front desk and they will order a cab for you. The cost to downton Playa os approximately 450 pesos. If you are using a cc it is an additional 50 pesos. If you would like to order your own cab then you must let the front desk know the time and name of the driver coming.
Beach – The beach and pool area (located on the beach) are both generally quite full. However, there are private areas further along the beach away from the pool area which you can walk to. This is only possible to reach if you walk through the full area though.

WhatsApp Chat (Guests) – There is a WhatsApp chat which enables the frum guests to assist each other both at the hotel as well as in Playa Del Carmen as a whole. https://chat.whatsapp.com/BI0A5peHi1G23pgseRT9PF

WhatsApp Chat (Hotel) – The hotel provides a whatsapp chat which you can use to request items from room service etc. +52-984-188-5484

Breakfast – The hotel does provide breakfast. Please be advised there is no mashgiach supervising the breakfast. Below I have pasted the message (edited for clarity) sent on the Banyan Tree chat our first day in the hotel. Do what’s best for you. We brought a pan.

Hashgacha – Please be advised there is no hashgacha supervision and the kashrus is truly in your hands.

Pan / Spatula – It is recommended that you bring your own pan / spatula as a non-Jew is not believed halachically on the kosher status of a dish.

Light the flame – It is recommended that you either light the flame or stir the eggs. If a non-Jew performs the entire cooking process, not only is the food no allowed to be eated but the pan becomes treif as well.

Oil – Due to commercial kitchens at times refilling oil bottles you must see the waiter open the sealed bottle of oil.

Eggs – Make sure to personally check the eggs.

Lox – To eat the lox you must see the waiter open a sealed package with a hechsher in front of you.

Fruit / Vegetables – It is recommended to personally cut the fruits and vegetables yourself as you do not know what sort of knife was used. You can request the waiter to bring you a whole fruit or vegetable.

Spinach – The fresh spinach offered is not checked and cannot be eaten.

Decide for yourself: In a hotel of this caliber, it is assumed that the kitchen follows proper health department regulations and has separate color-coded cutting boards for fruits and vegetables and perhaps even knives. So, there is the ability to allow the eating of fruits and vegetables cut by the hotel. Even the onions which according to the majority of poskim are a Dvaar Chariff and should be cut with a kosher knife and cutting board, may be eaten if you choose to rely on the fact that the hotel is cutting many onions and whatever might not have been kosher on the knife will become botel bshishim.

Kaab South beach:
Booked Through – Booking.com ($230 for 3 nights).
Website – https://www.kaabrentals.com/en
Distance from Chabad – 4 minutes.
Shabbos entry – They provide a key.
Amenities – Plunge pool (essentially a cold hot tub).
Notes – Located in an apartment building with a doorman. Solid accommodations. Clean, neat, two bathrooms, sofe bed, good Wi-Fi.

Minyan / Shabbos:

Notes:
You can either spend Shabbos at one of the Chabad houses or you can order Shabbos food to your hotel from any of the restaurants listed above. The Grill (in the grand hyatt) has Shabbos dine in options as well.

Chabad Playa Del Carmen (located at 20 Avenida Nte. S/N, entre calle 2 y aenito juarez):
Shacharis – 9:00 Am.
Mincha / Maariv – 15 minutes before Shkia.
Sefer torah – Yes.
Number - +52-984-228-0425
Website - https://chabadplaya.org/
Notes – This is the more popular Chabad and will generally have a minyan.
Cost – Friday night – Adult $35 pp – Child - $25 pp / Shabbos day – Adult - $25 pp – Child - $10 pp
Shabbos:
We spent Shabbos here and had a great experience. The number of guests can vary between 150 – 500. The food (and drink) was plentiful and tasty. The rabbis are super nice.

Chabad Playa Del Carmen (located at 10 Avenida NTE.):
Shacharis – This is the less popular chabad and therefore will not always have a minyan.
Mincha / Maariv – This is the less popular chabad and therefore will not always have a minyan.
Sefer Torah - Unsure
Number – +52-984-147-2387
Website - https://www.jewishplaya.com/?lang=en
Notes - This is the less popular chabad and therefore will not always have a minyan. We did not spend Shabbos here, but they do have Shabbos options for guests.

Banyan Tree Hotel:
Shacharis – Posted on WhatsApp group.
Mincha / Maariv – Posted on WhatsApp group.
Sefer Torah – Sometimes receives one from the Chabad in playa del carmen
Number (whatsapp group link) - https://chat.whatsapp.com/BI0A5peHi1G23pgseRT9PF
Website (Ember) - https://www.banyantree.com/mexico/mayakoba/dining/the-ember
Notes – Minyan times are informal and are generally decided by whoever happens to be in the hotel at the time via the WhatsApp group.
Shabbos – There are no group Shabbos meals and instead everyone eats themselves at their own leisure.

The Grill (located in the grand hyatt):
Number – +52-984-875-1234
Website – https://www.thegrillplaya.com/
Notes – We did not eat the Shabbos meal here. However, see above for notes on the general menu and ambiance. Must order prior to 9:00 pm Thursday night or incur a 20% surcharge. Make sure you are within walking distance.

Food (bought):

Bringing meat into Mexico – We were warned repeatedly that upon arrival to Mexico we would be stopped and any raw meat we had would be confiscated. In the end we did not bring meat and were not stopped. We were advised that cooked meat would be allowed to pass through. We did have some cooked meat and got through but obviously this may have been due to not getting stopped.
Supermarkets – Many supermarkets have kosher snacks and chips. You will not find much more than that.
Costco (cancun) – Supposedly Costco in Cancun sells some kosher chicken and meat. We did not have a chance to make our way over there to check.
Chabad Kosher Market (Playa) – There is an independently run kosher market in the Chabad compound at 20 Avenida Nte. S/N, entre calle 2 y aenito juarez. The variety is quite small. We saw baby chicken, rib steak, kabobs, chicken drumsticks and one or two more items. They also sell klik chocolate and some Israeli snacks.

Food (restaurants):

Notes – There are many kosher restaurants located in Playa Del Carmen. We would recommend checking into the kashrus certification of each one independently and determining on your own whether it is a good fit for you. From our experience, should a restaurant state that there is a mashgiach temidi on premises it is still worth a double check. Additionally, should there be an individual seemingly orthodox in the store when you visit it is still worth ensuring the individual is trustworthy. From our research it seemed that KMD was the considered the top hechsher you would find with IKM being a close second.

Platinum Grill (Meat):
Kashrus Certification – KMD.
Mashgiach temidi – On our trip there was.
Cost – Mid range (for Playa).
Our bill (2 people) - $106 USD (including tip).
Location (downtown playa del carmen) – Calle 28 Nte. Calle Cozumel Aldea Thai Gonzalo Guerrero - Near 5th avenue / Near the beach / 15 minute walk from Chabad at 20 Avenida Nte. S/N, entre calle 2 y aenito juarez.
Alcoholic Drinks – They sell wine, beer and hard alcohol. No cocktail menu offered.
Delivery - $250 pesos delivery charge. Delivery took around 45 minutes. Ordering can be done via WhatsApp. The delivered food tasted great.
Number – +52-322-124-1247.
Website - https://platinum-grill-more-playa-del-carmen.business.site/?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=referral
Credit card accepted – Yes, for both in store and delivery (ask about their online CC option for delivery).
Hours of operation – Sunday – Thursday – 2:00 pm – 10:30 pm / Friday – 10:00 am – 3:00 pm.
Open Saturday Night – No.
Notes – We really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. We dined in as well as ordered, both were great experiences.

Ember (Meat):
Kashrus Certification – KMD.
Mashgiach temidi – On our trip there was.
Cost – Upper range.
Our bill (2 people) - $227 USD (including tip).
Location (mayakoba) – Carretera Federal Chetumal-Puerto Juαrez KM 298
Riviera Maya - Located inside the Banyan Tree resort (unsure if you can enter without booking a room).
Alcoholic Drinks – None. They are also strict regarding bringing in outside drinks.
Delivery – Unsure whether they offer delivery.
Number – +52-984-877-3688 ex. 7222.
Website - https://banyantreemayakoba.com/ember/
Credit card accepted – Yes.
Hours of operation – Sunday – Thursday – 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm / 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm.
Open Saturday Night – No.
Notes – It seemed to us that there is no actual kitchen and instead they simply warm up premade food. The atmosphere felt like a typical dining room and not so much like a high end restaurant.

The Grill (Meat):
Kashrus Certification – IKM (International Kosher Mehadrin).
Mashgiach temidi – On our trip there was.
Cost – Upper range.
Our bill (2 people) - $232 USD (including tip).
Location (downtown playa del carmen)  – 1A Avenida Esquina Calle 26, Centro - Located inside the Grand Hyatt (you can enter with no room booked). Located near 5th avenue, near the beach, 15 minute walk from Chabad on 20 Avenida Nte. S/N, entre calle 2 y aenito juarez.
Alcoholic Drinks – Full cocktail and wine menu offered.
Delivery – Yes – Unsure about surcharge.
Number – +52-984-875-1234.
Website – https://www.thegrillplaya.com/
Credit card accepted – Yes. For both in store and delivery.
Hours of operation – Sunday – Thu – 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm / 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm / Friday – 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm.
Open Saturday Night – Yes Call for times.
Notes – This was the best food we had in Playa Del Carmen as well as a very high-end atmosphere. The restaurant is located right near the pool area with a view of the beach.

Moshe Cube (Meat):
Kashrus Certification – Rabbi Chaim Barod – Chabad Playa (American Kosher).
Mashgiach temidi – ?
Cost – Mid range
Our bill (2 people) - $100 USD (including tip).
Location (downtown playa del carmen)  – Calle 38 Nte. entre av. 10 y av. 20 norte, Gonzalo Guerrero
Alcoholic Drinks – None.
Delivery – Yes – Unsure about surcharge.
Number – +52-984-172-5980.
Website – https://www.moshecubekosher.com/
Credit card accepted – Yes. For both in store and delivery.
Hours of operation – Sunday – Thursday – 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm / Friday – 12:00 pm – 4:30 pm.
Open Saturday Night – No.
Notes – Very solid food. Israeli style. Outdoor and indoor seating available. This was the only restaurant on our trip which was super busy when we went. 

Coco Rico (Meat):
Kashrus Certification – Rabbi Chaim Barod – Chabad Playa (American Kosher).
Mashgiach temidi – ?
Cost – Lower Range.
Our bill (2 people) – We did not eat here.
Location (downtown playa del carmen)  – C. 10 Nte. Esq. 10, Gonzalo Guerrero.
Alcoholic Drinks – None.
Delivery – Yes – Unsure about surcharge.
Number – +972-50-372-2555 / +52-686-718-9149.
Website – https://cocoricokosher.com/
Credit card accepted – Yes. For both in store and delivery.
Hours of operation – 9:00 am – 12:00 am.
Open Saturday Night – Yes call for times.
Notes – We did not eat here.

Let’s Meat (Meat):
Kashrus Certification – Rabbi Chaim Barod – Chabad Playa (American Kosher)
Mashgiach temidi – ?.
Cost – Mid range
Our bill (2 people) – We sat down and only ordered drinks as we had just eaten somewhere else.
Location (downtown playa del carmen)  – 20 Avenida Nte. S/N, entre calle 2 y aenito juarez – Inside the Chabad compound.
Alcoholic Drinks – Full cocktail menu
Delivery – Yes – Unsure about surcharge.
Number – +52-984-100-7986
Website – https://letsmeatplaya.com/
Credit card accepted – No. They do offer payment through zelle though.
Hours of operation – Sunday – Thursday – 2:00 pm – 10:00 pm / Friday – 12:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Open Saturday Night – No
Notes – We did not eat here.  Additionally, this restaurant is NOT owned by Chabad and has independent ownership. Ownership is the same as Mas Pan.

Two Smokers Kosher Smokehouse (Meat):
Kashrus Certification – Rabbi Chaim Barod – Chabad Playa (American Kosher)
Mashgiach temidi – ?.
Cost – Mid range
Our bill (2 people) – We did not eat here.
Location (downtown playa del carmen)  – C.38 mz. 151 LT -10 S/N esquina, Quinta Avenida, Centro
Alcoholic Drinks – Unsure
Delivery – Unsure
Number – +52-984-173-8044 / +52-984-179-6977
Website – None
Menu - https://www.canva.com/design/DAEs0IawZ_Y/aAIzqrkPqUmFrg-dZXcn2g/view?website#2:two-smoker-men-digital
Credit card accepted – Unsure.
Hours of operation – Sunday – Thursday – 1:00 pm – 11:00 pm / Friday – 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Open Saturday Night – No
Notes – We did not eat here. 

Chabad (Meat):
Kashrus Certification – Rabbi Chaim Barod – Chabad Playa (American Kosher)
Mashgiach temidi – Yes
Cost – Lower Range
Our bill (2 people) – We did not eat here.
Location – (Other than Shabbos) No dine in offered
Alcoholic Drinks – (Other than Shabbos) None
Delivery – Yes – Unsure about surcharge.
Number – +1-347-707-9534 /
Website – https://chabadplaya.org/
Credit card accepted – Yes. For both in store and delivery.
Hours of operation - Unsure
Open Saturday Night – No
Notes – We did not order food from here. However, we did eat by Chabad on Shabbos and the food was very tasty. 

Malka (Dairy):
Kashrus Certification – Rabbi Chaim Barod – Chabad Playa (American Kosher)
Mashgiach temidi – ?
Cost – Lower range (for Playa)
Our bill (2 people) - $45 USD
Location (downtown playa del carmen) – 20 Avenida Nte. S/N, entre calle 2 y aenito juarez – Inside the Chabad compound.
Alcoholic Drinks – You can buy shots. No cocktail menu.
Delivery – Yes. Unsure about surcharge.
Number – +52-984-167-9098
Website - https://malka-kosher.jimdosite.com/
Credit card accepted – Yes, for both in store and delivery.
Hours of operation – Sunday – Thursday – 9:00 am – 10:00 pm / Friday – 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Open Saturday Night – Yes. Call for times.
Notes – Solid food. Israeli falafel store vibe.

Mas Pan Bake and Roll (Dairy):
Kashrus Certification – Rabbi Chaim Barod – Chabad Playa (American Kosher)
Mashgiach temidi – No
Cost – Mid range (for Playa)
Our bill (2 people) - $60 USD (including tip)
Location (downtown playa del carmen) – Calle 6 Norte, Av. Solidaridad Mza 5 Lte 1, Centro
Alcoholic Drinks – No
Delivery – Yes. Unsure about surcharge.
Number – +52-984-100-7986
Website - None
Credit card accepted – No. Zelle offered with a $5 surcharge for orders under $100 and 5% surcharge for orders over $100.
Hours of operation – Sunday – Thursday – 10:00 am – 10:00 pm / Friday – 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
Open Saturday Night – Yes / Call for times.
Notes – Solid food. Typical pizza store vibe.

Transportation:

Rental Car:
Notes – Although a rental car may be an attractive option for some. Beware of price changes upon arrival.
Our experience - We booked two reservations one with Europcar and one with Fox (turns out they are both the same company). The price was $149 for the week. Upon arrival we were told that if we did not purchase the collision insurance, we must put a $15,000 deposit down in case of any damages. They refused to accept CC insurance (sapphire reserve) without a letter from the CC company expressly assigning a Mexican insurance carrier which would be liable for any damage incurred. The cost with the insurance was approximately $500 for the week.
Additionally – We were warned that should you rent the car, upon return the rental company will attempt to make you liable for any slight damage that can be found on the car even if it was there prior to you renting the car. Should you decide to rent a vehicle ensure that you have a clear video of the entire car and record any damage already there prior to leaving the lot. With that said it is possible that major chains such as hertz and enterprise will not have this issue. Additionally, see below for a rental option utilized by acquaintances of ours.

Other rental option:
Number – +52-844-297-5567
Website – Unsure if there is one
Notes – We did not rent from this individual. However, he came recommended by acquaintances that have used him. We did message him as we were considering renting with him, and he seemed to be a decent guy.
Other notes:
Mopeds, Motorcycles and cars are all available.
Delivery to your hotel is available for a $30 surcharge (Playa).
Paying with a CC will incur a significant surcharge (taxes).
A $400 hold will be placed on your CC for the duration of the rental.
If you pay in USD the exchange rate will be inflated a bit in favor of the vendor.
One week rental = $1,000 pesos daily.
One day rental = $1,200 pesos

Cabs:
Notes:
All cabs can be haggled with and never take the first quote at face value. With that said there are obviously limitations to how low they will go.
Many cabs will charge a 10 – 16% fee for payment with CC.
If you are paying in USD be wary of the exchange rate being used.
If you are in a gated resort that books the cabs for you, you will be charged a bit more. A workaround for this can be to call your own cab and ensure the front desk is notified of the driver’s name so they let him into the grounds.
If you pay with a CC beware of the driver charging more than the agreed upon price (see above for our experience)

Taxi Prices (what we paid with CC):
CUN – Banyan Tree (40 minutes) = $50 USD (standard is $90 USD but you can get $60 USD easily).
Banyan Tree – Downtown Playa (hotel book) (20 minutes) = $495 pesos.
Downtown Playa – Banyan Tree (20 minutes) = $350 pesos.
Downtown Playa – Cenote Azul (40 minutes) = $1,000 pesos round trip with a two hour wait time.
Downtown Playa – CUN (40 minutes each way) = $50.
Downtown Playa – Downtown Playa - $200 Pesos.

Cab Drivers Used:
Manuel:
Number - +52-984-165-7040.
Notes – Decent fellow. Does not work Sundays.
Alejandro:
Number – +52-984-177-1560.
Notes – Decent fellow. Does not work Saturday or Sunday. Starts work at 4pm.
Elias:
Number - +52-998-874-1314.
Notes -Elias is the most widely used and is Jewish. His prices may be a bit more than the average but he is super reliable.

Activities:

Notes – There are many activities to do in Playa Del Carmen. Activities can range from skydiving to scuba diving. We were not looking to do many activities and will therefore only list the one activity we did, which was go to the Cenote. There are many Cenote options available, we went to Cenote Cristalino. Please note that the most popular cenote (cenote azul) is within walking distance of cenote Cristalino.

Cenote Cristalino:
Distance from Playa Del Carmen – Cab 40 minutes.
Transportation fee – 1,000 pesos round trip with a 2 hour wait by cab. There are significantly cheaper options with a shuttle.
Entrance fee – 200 pesos per person
Hours of operation – Monday – Friday - 9am – 5pm / Saturday – Sunday – 8am – 6pm
Website – https://cenotesmexico.org/cenote-cristalino/
Notes – We went on a Friday and had a very pleasant time. The cenote was really pretty with fish that bite the dead skin off your feet, all over. The cenote was not packed, and we had plenty of breathing room. There is also cliff jumping for whoever would like, at the cenote. Life jackets are provided.

Who was your travel agent?  (You can PM me..)

[Bochuryerushalayim]

Travel agent used – SYMiles
Email – netlevy@yahoo.com
Number – 917-275-2334
Notes – Payment must be made either in cash or zelle. Booking through a travel agent aside from getting us a discount proved to give us lots of perks. See complimentary items below.

[E-MAN]

Do you need reservations at Ember in Banyan Tree?

[Dan]

Do you need reservations at Ember in Banyan Tree?

Why eat here?

[E-MAN]

Why eat here?

Bc it's convenient on the property

[Dan]

Bc it's convenient on the property

Paying 5 star prices for reheated food is a choice I guess.

[Al]

Can you eat at the kosher restaurant  in Nizuc if you are not staying  there? Do they deliver to Banyan Tree?

[Dan]

Can you eat at the kosher restaurant  in Nizuc if you are not staying  there? Do they deliver to Banyan Tree?

The food isn't very good, why would you want to? Playa has much better food and is closer.

[chopapeih]

Will be staying at Banyan Tree this week and would love any input.

I heard that Ember is not that great and most ppl have been ordering from Playa. Anybody have any recommendations for Shabbos food from Playa since Id rather order in than eat at Ember, or does anybody have had a good experience at Ember for Shabbos?

[shiframeir]

Will be staying at Banyan Tree this week and would love any input.

I heard that Ember is not that great and most ppl have been ordering from Playa. Anybody have any recommendations for Shabbos food from Playa since Id rather order in than eat at Ember, or does anybody have had a good experience at Ember for Shabbos?

how was your experience? did you try ember?