Essence at the Fives Beach

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Star rating

Deluxe Room
One Bedroom Resort Residence
One Bedroom Pool Walkout
Zky Bar
Oka
La Brasserie
Koh Thai
Gin Bar
Flavours
Garden Room
One Bedroom Resort Residence
One Bedroom Resort Residence
3 Bedroom Resort Residence
3 Bedroom Resort Residence
3 Bedroom Resort Residence
Penthouse Resort Residence
Spa
Spa
Adult only pool
Deluxe Room
One Bedroom Resort Residence
One Bedroom Pool Walkout
Zky Bar
Oka
La Brasserie
Koh Thai
Gin Bar
Flavours
Garden Room
One Bedroom Resort Residence
One Bedroom Resort Residence
3 Bedroom Resort Residence
3 Bedroom Resort Residence
3 Bedroom Resort Residence
Penthouse Resort Residence
Spa
Spa
Adult only pool

The hotel

Looking to create your own memorable moments in Mexico... well we're sure the Essence at The Fives Beach deserves a spot in your Wishlist! Sitting on a picture-perfect beach in Playa del Carmen the stunning Essence at The Fives Beach delivers all your holiday desires. Starting with their generous all-inclusive plan that offers global cuisine and impressive cocktail lists in 10 trendy restaurants and bars, that's enough to keep any foodie happy! You have a choice of inviting pools, beach club, dreamy spa and a kid's club playhouse, where little ones will be entertained for hours thanks to the energetic activity programme. Phew! Plus there's a great selection of rooms to choose from too. How does all that sound? It's clear to see a holiday here combines a blissful beach break with something a bit more 'extra'... it's no wonder it’s proving popular with fun-loving couples and families.

Amenities

  • Tennis
  • Babysitting service
  • Kids Club
  • Bar
  • Evening Entertainment
  • Internet Access
  • Restaurant
  • Room Service
  • Spa
  • Swimming Pool
  • Beachfront location

Where is it

Perfectly sat on the white sand coast of the Caribbean Sea in Playa Del Carmen. Transfer time from airport: 35 minutes.

Hotel information

663 air-conditioned rooms. All with a balcony or terrace with pool or garden views, air-conditioning, LCD flat-screen television or smart TV, WiFi, coffee maker and daily stocked mini-bar. 

With features of contemporary coastal style, Deluxe Rooms have a large balcony or terrace with garden views, and either 2 double beds or 1 king- size bed, sleeping maximum 4 adults or 2 adults and 2 children.

All Inclusive includes: a welcome drink upon arrival. Meals and drinks at 10 bars and restaurants, plus casual dining options in the open-air eateries. Domestic and international premium liqueurs. Personal concierge in pool and beach areas. 24-hour room service.

Modern 1 Bedroom Resort Residences enjoy a separate living room with double sofa bed, and a full kitchen, as well as 1 king-size bed, sleeping 2 adults. These rooms are also available as a Swim Up Residence, where you can dip into the pool straight from your patio.

2 Bedroom Resort Residences feature a master bedroom, living room with double sofa bed and a second bedroom with 2 double beds (or 1 king-size bed), and a full-size kitchen. These rooms are also available as a Swim Up Residence, where you can dip into the pool straight from your patio.

1 Bedroom Penthouse Resort Residences have their own rooftop lounge area complete with a pergola, barbecue grill and a whirlpool tub.

  • Booking Bonus: Book by 31 Jul '25 to receive up to 25% off the accommodation cost between 28 Feb '25 –23 Dec '27. Terms and conditions apply. Any applicable offers have been calculated into the prices shown. Offers may not be combinable. Blackout dates apply. 
  • Room Upgrade and Hotel Saving: Save up to 65% plus receive a complimentary room upgrade from a Deluxe room to a 1 Bedroom Residence for completed stays between 19 Oct25–31 Mar '26 and 19 Oct'26–31 Mar'27, book by 24 Aug '25. The room booked is the room received, upgrade included in price. Any applicable offers have been calculated into the prices shown. Offers may not be combinable. Blackout dates apply. Terms and conditions apply. 

14 restaurants and gourmet corners including Flavours (family-friendly buffet restaurant with International dishes, open for breakfast and dinner), Lizzards (healthy delights and natural ingredient-based cuisine, open for lunch), Natura Day Club & Grill (adult-only, grill restaurant, open for lunch), La Brasserie (Bistro restaurant serving the best of International cuisine, all-day dining), Oka (sushi bar, open for dinner), Mestizo (authentic Mexican gastronomy, open for breakfast and dinner), Arezzo (adult-only restaurant, Tuscan cuisine, open for dinner), Sea Olive (Italian dishes, open for dinner), Koh Thai (Thai cuisine, open for dinner). Pop up food corners including pizza slices, Mexican bites, burgers and sandwiches and other pop up delights. 4 pool bars and 4 signature bars. Coffee shop*.

Daily and nightly entertainment.

7 outdoor pools. Spa*. Gym. Outdoor tennis courts. Basketball court. Running and jogging circuit. The Beach Club with loungers and sun beds. Aluxitos Play House (4-12 years) offering fun supervised activities for kids, ranging from fitness classes, arts and crafts and tennis lessons. Interactive cooking class*. Joy & Wellness Programme (variety of activities designed to refresh and renew both body and mind. These include yoga classes, sport activities, evening entertainment and cooking classes).

Butlers in the pool and beach areas. 24-hour room service*. Dry-cleaning/laundry services*. Babysitting service available*. 

Guests staying in the Mexican state Quintana Roo are required to pay a travel tax of $11 per adult (over 15 years old). The payment can be made prior to travel, upon arrival or during your stay, as the tax will be imposed upon departure. There is also an additional Environmental Sanitation Tax of $4.25 USD per room, per night that will be added to your hotel bill (payable locally, subject to change).

* Denotes local charge. 

Rating summary

  • Location Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Sleep Quality Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Rooms Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Service Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Value Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Cleanliness Image of the Tripadvisor rating

Traveller rating

  • Excellent (13113)
  • Very good (2704)
  • Average (1137)
  • Poor (553)
  • Terrible (663)
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Mani/Pedi at the Fives Spa with DULCE!

Jul 18, 2025 cjalonso Reminderville, Ohio

My experience at The Fives Spa Residences with DULCE was amazing! She was not only sweet but ALOT of fun to talk with! I thoroughly enjoyed myself and the mani / pedi she did was PERFECT! I highly recommend requesting her and the other spa services
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Dinner is a nightmare

Jul 17, 2025 jane m Belfast, United Kingdom

Eating in the evenings is an extreme sport. I would advise anyone to avoid this resort at all costs. The evening restaurant situation is a total nightmare. No buffet restaurant and only 6 restaurants open, and not all every night. You turn up, get a beeper and prepare for at least a 2 hour wait unless you’re prepared to start queuing at 5.30pm.… Read more
Eating in the evenings is an extreme sport. I would advise anyone to avoid this resort at all costs. The evening restaurant situation is a total nightmare. No buffet restaurant and only 6 restaurants open, and not all every night. You turn up, get a beeper and prepare for at least a 2 hour wait unless you’re prepared to start queuing at 5.30pm. The restaurants themselves are never at full capacity and the hotel doesn’t seem to have the organisation or the manpower to fully seat the restaurant. Another issue is large groups all eating together 20-30 people, who eat and then sit for over an hour chatting and having drinks, therefore blocking tables from the hundreds of hungry people waiting. If you want to choose when you eat and have a relaxing dinner on your holiday, this is NOT the resort for you. If you like to experience the hunger games in real life it’ll be right up your street! Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Stunning experience

Jul 15, 2025 vickyhM4914DZ Romford, United Kingdom

This hotel was stunning - the food was great (eating in La Brasserie, Koh Thai were our favourite), very clean, friendly staff and amazing WIFI throughout the hotel even by the pool and beach. For my 1st time in Mexico I couldn't have been happier with this hotel, you see mexican raccoons and monkeys around the complex due to it surrounding a… Read more
This hotel was stunning - the food was great (eating in La Brasserie, Koh Thai were our favourite), very clean, friendly staff and amazing WIFI throughout the hotel even by the pool and beach. For my 1st time in Mexico I couldn't have been happier with this hotel, you see mexican raccoons and monkeys around the complex due to it surrounding a beautiful forest/jungle area. The entertainment was good each evening and the Gin bar had a nice adult atmosphere. I would recommend this hotel and would like to return one day. The slush pina colada's were amazing with or without alcohol. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Family of 3 loved seeing all the wildlife

Jul 15, 2025 Jenny T Brisbane, Australia

We are a family of three (two adults and a six-year-old) who recently spent three weeks traveling from Brisbane, Australia, and enjoyed our time between Puerto Morelos, Cozumel, and Playa del Carmen. Our final week was spent at The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences, where we made our reservation through Expedia and received outstanding service. Our… Read more
We are a family of three (two adults and a six-year-old) who recently spent three weeks traveling from Brisbane, Australia, and enjoyed our time between Puerto Morelos, Cozumel, and Playa del Carmen. Our final week was spent at The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences, where we made our reservation through Expedia and received outstanding service. Our experience at The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences was largely enhanced by the incredible dining options available, with a wide variety of restaurants to choose from. We also appreciated the diverse wildlife at the resort, including coatis, monkeys, lizards, raccoons, turtles, and even a deer. However, we were disappointed with the beach and pool situation. The beach was unfortunately rendered unusable due to a significant amount of sargassum. While we were aware that this issue typically arises at this time of year, we did not anticipate the extent of the problem. My husband did manage to find a small sargassum-free channel one morning for a brief swim, but the seaweed quickly returned. The temperature of the pools was another concern. The two front pools near the beach were uncomfortably hot, and the other main pools between buildings 1 and 14 were similarly warm in the afternoons. Just as my husband was considering returning to Cozumel, we discovered a quieter pool between buildings 15 and 16, which was much more refreshing and enjoyable. Additionally, the bar at this pool, Manglar, offered superior drinks, and the service provided by William and Noe was exceptional. The food at most of the restaurants was excellent, with our favorites being the French restaurant for dinner and the buffet breakfast. We also relished the sushi at Oka & Italian Arrezzo. However, we were less impressed with the Thai restaurant, which was the only one where we had to wait over 30 minutes. Our experience at Sea Olive was particularly disappointing; although we were seated promptly, the service was exceedingly slow, resulting in a lengthy dinner that extended over three hours. Overall, while the service was generally satisfactory, only a few staff members stood out as exceptional compared to other all-inclusive resorts. Noteworthy mentions include Surgy and Narciso at Oka Sushi, Julissa at Arrezzo, and Magdalina at La Brasserie during breakfast. Our daughter attended the kids' club nearly every day, which was a highlight for her, thanks to the wide array of activities and the friendly, attentive staff. We arranged for our own taxi driver, Karen, for a day trip to visit three cenotes: Cenote Cristalino, Cenote Azul, and Cenote Minotauro. This excursion was a highlight of our three-week vacation, as each cenote offered a unique and enjoyable experience. In summary, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences, though we did wish for the opportunity to swim at the beach, which was beyond the resort's control. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Lovely roast dinner

Jul 14, 2025 keiraosborne Bath, United Kingdom

The location is perfect. The interior is lovely, open and very nice. Welcoming service and attentive. I was really pleased with the roast beef. The vegetables were cooked beautifully, and there was a big range such as parsnips, cabbage swede, Cauliflower cheese, peas, carrots and green. Garlic was a lovely touch for the beef. The only downfall I… Read more
The location is perfect. The interior is lovely, open and very nice. Welcoming service and attentive. I was really pleased with the roast beef. The vegetables were cooked beautifully, and there was a big range such as parsnips, cabbage swede, Cauliflower cheese, peas, carrots and green. Garlic was a lovely touch for the beef. The only downfall I would say would be the roast potatoes were a little too hard to cut and therefore eat. The options were really good. My partner had the mixed roast dinner and I tried the belly pork which was delicious. I look forward to coming back here. Read less