Managers Welcome Party: Special Every Sunday

Have you heard of our exclusive Bali-inspired Beach Club? Located at El Taj Oceanfront, and decorated with beach beds and umbrellas imported from Bali, Indigo Beach Club welcomes for an unforgetable day on the beach, surrounded by lounge music and Medirannean fusion cuisine with Asian influences. Click here to check our official  Playa del Carmen live web cam.

Beach Clubs are one of the most popular ways to spend your day in the sun in Playa del Carmen, and Indigo has become one of the most sought-after by the vacationers.

So I am not much different from the smart crowd in this sense. I love spending some of my Sundays at Indigo Beach Club, and the good thing is, I live just one block away from the beach. Don’t be jealous! Do you remember my entry “Superbowl at the Indigo Beach Club”? Other lovely day in Playa del Carmen!

Well, last Sunday was special – on March 25th, Condo Hotels kicked off the “Managers Welcome Party.” This special event is meant to give the guests the opportunity to enjoy a dinner buffet from Indigo Beach Club and to meet the managers of Condo Hotels Playa del Carmen.

All managers were in attendance for the inauguration of the new special event.  With a range of assorted appetizers, sushi rolls, vegetable dishes, pasta and pizza just to mention a few, there was something for everyone. I need to say that sushi rolls are totally delicious! My favorite one: Lorena: Ken don’t eat more sushi, you will not leave anything for the other guests! Me: Just one more!  It was a beautiful night to be out with the temperature just right and a great ocean breeze.

And I have great news for you! This special event is EVERY SUNDAY! Yes, every week you can come to Indigo, feel the Caribbean breeze on your skin, walk on the soft white sand and taste a delicious buffet dinner for a very special price, just 80 pesos per person with a one free drink. We are waiting for you next Sunday!

I along with Jack, Mark and Frederic spoke with many guests and  condo owners to discuss this special event.  Everyone was in great spirits.  Please click here to see a short video of the event.

Welcome to Mexico!

So you’re booked to come stay in one of our beautiful hotels. Playa del Carmen is on your mind and you’re looking forward to relaxation on the beach or doing one of the multiple activities found in the Riviera Maya.  You get on the plane, and the flight attendant mentions that they will soon be passing out customs and immigration forms. If it is your first time leaving the country, this could be a confusing and possibly stressful situation. Don’t worry, though. I’m here to help you out and quell those nerves!

The Mexican immigration form is to be filled out on the plane, since in many cases there will be a person checking these as you exit and will stop you for this info immediately. There are two parts to the immigration form and you will fill out each side.  When you walk up to one of the many immigration counters you will provide them only with this form and your passport.  They will stamp the form and return the small half and tell you to proceed.

This is your temporary visa to be in the country and it is important to save this as you will need it to exit the country as well.  The airline person who checks you in upon your departure will ask for the form, and will not let you leave without it.  If you do lose the form, you simply go to the immigration desk and request a new one, but if it is busy and you’re running late for your flight there is a good chance you may miss it. This can be a huge inconvenience and can damper the last minutes of your well-needed vacation.  It is best to just keep your immigration form with your passport, as you will need to display both to the airline attendant when leaving, and the paradise can still be on your mind – so yes, it’s easy to get distracted.

The second form is the customs form.  Only one form per family is necessary. Once you pass through immigration you will go to pick up your luggage and proceed to customs. In most situations the luggage will be put through an X-ray machine where you’ll pick it up on the other side, present your customs form, and go through the traffic light as a random search method.  The person who hands the customs officer the form will be asked to push the traffic button, if the light displays green you move on. If the light displays red, you will be asked to put your luggage on a counter for an officer to do a baggage check.

We look forward to seeing you soon and hope you’re trip into and out of the country is an easy one.

The most beautiful hotels Playa del Carmen has to offer are waiting for you!!

Our excellent zipline experience!!

Hi everybody! This time, I will talk about the one of the greatest places in the Yucatan Peninsula! I went with my girlfriend Lorena, and when we started out, she was very intimidated about the experience. At the end though, she was happy we went on such a unique adventure!

We headed out from the Condo Hotels Playa del Carmen. Our adventure began with the SkyCycle, which is essentially a “chair-bike” suspended from an aerial wire that takes you zipping through the jungle. For anyone who has done zip lines, this is a much more enjoyable experience because you have more control then when using other similar types of transport. It’s unique and fun.

After the SkyCycle, we took the jungle canopy zip line. Waiting for us were many options to spend a really fun day, and we got to fly through the jungle! If you’re afraid of heights, I would not recommend as it would likely scare you, but I was feeling brave!

To continue the fun we go to rappel into the cenote, using a harness and all safety precautions necessary, This is not my favorite experience as it can be frightening, but definitely worth doing.

After the rappel waits for us Cenote Splash Down and the zip line through the enchanting cenote, you start the race at the ground level through an underground cave and then come splashing out on land into a cool clear cenote! Incredible! It was terrific and refreshing, and a great way to spend an exciting day away from Condo Hotels Playa del Carmen.

The next adventure is called Avatar, and it is an intense experience! This ride is a high speed, high adrenaline adventure, turning left and right at high speeds and ending with a great big splash into the cold water … like a roller coaster zip line! This is the newest ride that was invented at Hidden Worlds.

The perfect end for this adventure is the exciting experience in the incredible cenote snorkel. The Cenote tour will give you the opportunity to be up close and personal with what nature has been creating underground for thousands of years. This part of the tour is amazing.

The staff was absolutely wonderful and professional, and they made us feel so welcome. Thank you everyone! At the end of the day, we were back safe and sound at our beautiful Condo Hotels Playa del Carmen.

See you next time!

This is a place for a lover of chocolate and good coffee!

When is it coffee time? Well, if it were up to me, my answer would be “every day!” Yes, of course caffeine is bad for you, but sometimes you have to indulge. I found a nice place with good coffee right near our Condo Hotels Playa del Carmen facilities, and I would like to share my delicious experience!

“Ah! Cacao” is a nice place in the heart of Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen you can sit and enjoy a delicious coffee in every flavor and type: espresso, latte, cappuccino and chocolate frappe cold or hot, cold or hot. This is served at outdoor tables which sell everything you can think of with real chocolate. You can also buy gift boxes of chocolate, cocoa powder criollo, bars, cocoa beans and vanilla extract, all made right in Mexico.

Ah! Cacao was the only place that made me feel I had enjoyed the taste of real Mexico. Their hot chocolate and coffee is the best I have ever had! And the staff was very friendly and personable, I felt very welcome! I took some home so I could have something to enjoy later.

So, what’s my favorite? Probably a medium Latte. What’s yours?

Balance & Harmony!

If you want to relax during your Playa Del Carmen stay, the Maya Spa, located at our Condo Hotels Playa del Carmen facilities, is a lovely spot. When it comes to haircuts for me, there is no better place in Playa del Carmen!

Maya Spa is my number one pick! Fast, easy, close by, and they do a good job. Every time I visit Maya Spa, my stylist Betty is so friendly, and she always sends me on my way looking better than before.

Inspired by the rich wisdom and traditions of its native Mayan ancestors, Maya spa is a unique, full-service spa and beauty treatment experience where you can find balance and harmony. It would be hard to find such a relaxing spot in the other hotels.

Our Maya Spa reflects the life-enhancing experience of achieving a transformation in physical health, emotional well-being and spiritual renewal. They offer the best and relaxing treatments for your body and mind and provide personalized services in a luxurious environment.

The lovely folks at Maya Spa did a perfect job with me — as always!

Hi everyone!

When I think of my days as a Mexican street vendor, so many memories come to my mind! I’ll share my story! First though, I have two questions for you.

First: Do you know 5th Avenue? 5th Avenue is a great place to stroll, lots (I mean LOTS) of bars, restaurants, stores, the lights are beautiful, the music is glorious, there is a lot to see and enjoy…. You must not miss it! I’m  sure that will be one of your favorite stops. It’s a location that is easy to get to from the hotels Playa del Carmen visitors stay at.

Second: Have you been in a bazaar? (market). “Bazar Andale” is the name of the interesting market in the most famous street in the heart of Riviera Maya, and once every year you can find everything from clothes, toys, jewelry, hats, candies, and food. You can also find artists, mariachis and much more!

Now imagine the tantalizing combination of a cosmopolitan street, a wonderful bazaar, so many people celebrating, hot weather, the warm and gentle breeze of the Caribbean, and a “gringo” with “ojo rojo” in his hand — anything can happen! Only here do you have a great place to visit so near the hotels Playa del Carmen lovers visit!! The “ojo rojo” is a delicious beach cocktail. Its main ingredients are light beer, lemon, tomato juice, salt, hot sauce and worcestershire sauce. it’s got a real kick!

After I walked and walked along the street with my friends Carmen, Fred and Anahi, I decided try to be a vendor! I thought, why not? It looks easy, I can definately do that!

After a few minutes, I discovered that I’m a pretty good street vendor! Honey shampoo for $5? Mmm.. ok, give it to me! A strawberry soap for $3? Give me.. give me.. two? Perfect! Who else wants some? I made $35  in a short time! Maybe I should take up a new hobby…

See you next time!

Surprise!

I’m underwater!

A highly recommended experience if you’ve not done it yet! We had a great snorkeling trip, and it was easy to get to from hotels Playa del Carmen. We went to Puerto Morelos — a magic place, close to my house, full of sealife that you have to see with your own eyes!

Our snorkeling day starts at 8 am. I arrived with my beautiful girlfriend Lorena and my friend Lourdes at that charming town on Saturday morning. It was a really good choice! We expected to spend all day enjoying the beautiful waters of the Caribbean Sea.

I had heard many comments about many places to snorkel, but a few days before our trip I had not chosen yet. I was talking with friends, and my friend Fred recommended that I visit Puerto Morelos, which he says is the last authentic Mexican fishing town on the Caribbean coast, and also very near our Condo Hotels Playa del Carmen! Now, we had a destination … where is my camera?

Puerto Morelos is only 25 minutes away from Playa del Carmen, between Playa and Cancun, framed by turquoise waters, tropical breezes, warm white sand, jungle and Mayan culture. It offers unique snorkeling opportunities in the second biggest reef system in the world. The colours of the reef and fish were so vivid! Every few minutes, Lorena would say, “Ken, did you see that beautiful fish? Did you see that turtle?” Then I decided to use my underwater camera to capture those amazing sights. Hey little fish, say hello to my camera!

Barracudas, sharks, eels, turtles, rays, and many types of colorful fish live in that place! Puerto Morelos travel is simple, you can take a taxi or rent a car and drive twenty minutes from Playa del Carmen. For even cheaper transportation, hop on a bus!

We loved our visit to the reef! Thanks to Lorena and Lourdes we had another perfect day in paradise. Trust me, you must have a chance to enjoy this experience! Take a short trip from your hotel. Playa del Carmen is close to authentic places like this and many more.

Have you been in Puerto Morelos? Did you do snorkeling? Share your experiences with us!

Heaven on the earth!

It’s a beautiful sunny day outside! What do you think — is it perfect for a beach day? Exactly! With just a short trip from the hotels, Playa del Carmen offers so many options. What will be our next stop?

When you combine this paradise with spending time with my friends, it’s a dream come true. This time I will go with my inseparable traveling companion, my girlfriend Lorena. Jack, at the top of the table, is my friend and partner in Condo Hotels Playa del Carmen with his wife, Caroline.

We had a delicious meal in a rustic nice restaurant next to the beach, we enjoyed a good white wine, perfect and refreshing for the hot weather!

Can you imagine that? Soft white sand under your feet, refreshing breeze on your face, amazing and pristine blue Caribbean sea around you and the best company! Nothing better!
Lovely atmosphere in a really great place!

It was gorgeous, that place that invited us to relax and rest on the white sandy beach, palm trees providing the shade, the caress of the sea which makes it a very enjoyable stay! The sea looks like a big pool! I saw 4 different shades of blue! I thought to myself,                 “This is perfect for romance!“

I couldn’t pass up this opportunity and decided walk along the beach with Lorena, and we talked about the beauty of the nature! She loves the beauty of where we live.

That day was definitely one of the most relaxing days I’ve spent since I came to the Mexican Caribbean, just enjoying the views, chatting with my friends and my girlfriend. This is a good life! I’m happy living in Mexico! This adventure with Condo Hotels Playa del Carmen couldn’t be going better.

See you at my next entry… Enjoy your life’s adventures!