Flights | Hotels | Packages ? | What to do | Before you leave | Weather | Transportation | Map | Formalities | Practical information | Health | Useful addresses
Taxi
You can easily find taxis at the airport, or at the hotel (they will call one for you). You can also find taxis in Playa del Carmen at night, when you want to come back from PARTY ! Plan to take pesos with you.
Hotel shuttle
The hotel has a shuttle that can pick you at the airport (you can call Lynn or the hotel to arrange for this). The hotel can also organize shuttles to Playa del Carmen at night.
You can find all the major car rental companies. Beware ! In Mexico, "economy" means "economy". You will have a/c in the car, and that's about it. No radio, no electrical windows, manual gears, no suspensions... but, well, it's in working order !
You can find good fares on the net (Expedia for instance), starting from 10$ a day. Remember thought that this rate is exclusive of insurances (CDW, LDW, TP, PAI, LIA), of airport surcharges (between 12% and 14%) and of sales taxes (10%). Call your credit card company and your car insurance to find out if some insurances are included in your conditions when you rent a car abroad (it's the case of most Amex card for instance). You can also try this company, that presents all-inclusive rates : Econo Car Rental.
Also, plan to have pesos at the gas station, otherwise they will serve you with an insane exchange rate. And beware of their little trick : you give them a 200 to pay for 150 bill and they say, "where is the rest" and produce magically a 20 or a 100... with the bills in hand, ask them if this is the right price, before transferring the bills to them.
Driving directions to the hotel
This will be useful whether you're driving, or just in a taxi : they won't necessarily know where to go... first thing to remember : the name of the village is Xcalacoco (pronounce : chkalakoko). The map on the side shows the road (The Tides is just next door to Le Reve so it's the same road). From the airport Take the highway towards Playa del Carmen. You will first pass the small town of Puerto Morelos. Another 20 minutes or so later, on your left side, you will the major, huge entrance of a hotel called "Gran Velas". There's a big wall, water pond, you cannot miss it. Then you will see the entrance to the Princess. A few meters later, still on your left, there's a Coca Cola Cristal factory at the corner of an intersection. You will see a road sign for "Azul Fives". Hopefully the sign will still be there even if the Azul Fives is not opened yet... anyway, turn left in direction to the Azul Fives. If you see Universidad Technologica de Riviera Maya on your right, or the entrance to the "Hotel Grupo Gran Coral" on your left, you've gone too far ! Make a U turn and at the next intersection take the road on your right, it will be the road to Azul Fives that you missed before. You will be on a regular road first, and then on a dirt road. Continue. At the end of the road, you will find some constructions. It's the hotel "Petit Laffite". Turn right on the dirt road, alongside the Petit Laffite (at this point you should see sign for Le Reve, white and purple). At the next intersection, turn left, and take the first dirt road to the right a few meters later. At the next intersection, turn left. The hotel is there ! From Playa del Carmen It's the same but you have to remember it even if you're too tired to remember how to say "turn right" in spanish... so, first right after Hotel Grupo Gran Coral ! "La primera a la derecha despues de pasar hotel Grupo Gran Coral". |   |
The secret entrance road...
If you want some adventure, this is THE road to take to get to Le Reve, specially at night with an unpleasant taxi driver who will want to drop you after only a few feet... instead of taking the paved road, take the dirt road that is right opposite the Universidad Technologica de Riviera Maya. This dirt road is right between the entrance to Hotel Grupo Grand Coral and the regular road (so if you come from the airport, you will have to go until Hotel Grupo Gran Coral and make a U turn to catch this road). I think there's a sign saying "public access to beaches" (acceso publico a la playa) but I'm not sure right now... Be bold ! It's here yes turn ! (We missed it the first time and had to go for another round - we could not believe it was THAT road). Jungle, darkness, holes (mud ponds if it rained), silence and scary noises at the same time - including the swearing of the driver - everything is there and you will truly feel that you got to the end of the world when you arrive ! Good luck :)
