Essence at the Fives Beach

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Virgin 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.

Choice of restaurants: Flavours (International buffet). Mestizo (authentic Mexican gastronomy). La Brasserie (Bistro restaurant serving the best of International cuisine). Oka (sushi bar). Koh Thai (Thai cuisine). Sea Olive (Mediterranean and Mexican fusion menu). Arezzo (Italian delicacies). Natura (grilled flavours). Lizzards (healthy delights). Oriola (beach club grill). 5 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.

Seven 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. 

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 (12941)
  • Very good (2678)
  • Average (1126)
  • Poor (547)
  • Terrible (644)
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Excellent stay at the a Fives

Jan 30, 2025 22suzibb Vista, California

Very beautiful Hotel! Gardens are well maintained, lots of greenery . Very clean rooms, well decorated. The restaurants varies what kind of food is served, lots of choices. Wonderful staff. Great for couples and families definitely will be back….
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Will Not Be Returning!

Jan 29, 2025 Jodie1055

I am one to never complain but there's been too much disappointment to not! Everything you read about the food and restaurant situation is 100% spot on me and my friends experienced this madness and it was infuriating to spend so much money on a '5 star' hotel ! Very very poor and it ruined our holiday :(
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Terrible

Jan 29, 2025 Mobile241573

This was the worst hotel vacation in Mexico I have had in 10 years. The hotel had terrible service. We found a two foot snake in our bathroom the second day. We had a Bat in our room on the first night. On our first arrival there was no power or lights in our room. The hotel desk was hardly available - too many busy signals. Not enough chairs at… Read more
This was the worst hotel vacation in Mexico I have had in 10 years. The hotel had terrible service. We found a two foot snake in our bathroom the second day. We had a Bat in our room on the first night. On our first arrival there was no power or lights in our room. The hotel desk was hardly available - too many busy signals. Not enough chairs at beaches and pools and no one to assist. Restaurants would not take reservations and would not seat anyone until entire party was available. Asked to pay money to release deposit that was never used. Rooms and restaurants were all too Cold. Would never recommend this hotel ever. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating A Great Holiday

Jan 29, 2025 DavidDickenson Cardiff, United Kingdom

POSITIVE : - Modern, clean hotel complex Polite and helpful staff Central ‘plaza’ has restaurants, 3 bars, coffee shop (need to pay extra). Local lagers were good and from cans. Spirits and cocktails good. Margaritas were superb. NEGATIVE- Some bar workers did not measure spirits properly meaning that the cocktail was too strong to… Read more
POSITIVE : - Modern, clean hotel complex Polite and helpful staff Central ‘plaza’ has restaurants, 3 bars, coffee shop (need to pay extra). Local lagers were good and from cans. Spirits and cocktails good. Margaritas were superb. NEGATIVE- Some bar workers did not measure spirits properly meaning that the cocktail was too strong to drink/enjoy. They just poured from bottle (lack of attention to detail). However the young cocktail barman in the 1910 canteen bar was incredibly good and made superb cocktails and was very knowledgable. Food was generally very good, we did have a couple of a la carte meals that looked good but lacked flavour. BIG PROBLEM - no system to book restaurant tables! You had to turn up at opening time (5:30pm) and ask for a table. If they had a table you would be seated (but earlier than we wanted) or if no table they would put you on list to wait, this may be an hour or longer, so hanging around involved. When we arrived at say 6:30 asking for a table then we had to wait until 9:00 for a table. Very frustrating. We complained to Mihaela, the TUI rep, but hotel said no bookings. Lots of pools but not all heated (negative) NEGATIVE- Not enough sun beds around the pools or beach. In beach area too many double beds and cabanas that were at significant extra cost, so were mostly empty frustratingly. Beautiful long sandy beach. Sea ok to paddle in but not properly swim. Sea in front of hotel had breakwaters to calm the waves for guests. SURPRISING BONUS for nature lovers, the hotel has its own mangrove forest that has spider monkeys, coatimundi, agouti and turtles along with the unusual trees! Overall we had a great time and thought the hotel was very good. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Disastrous!!

Jan 29, 2025 243christinab Rickmansworth, United Kingdom

We have just returned from this hotel and I am so terribly disappointed as this was a really really important holiday for us as I was celebrating my 70th birthday with my family . We were informed before we traveled that one of the restaurants and one of the bars would be shut but what we’re not told was that most of the restaurants were closed… Read more
We have just returned from this hotel and I am so terribly disappointed as this was a really really important holiday for us as I was celebrating my 70th birthday with my family . We were informed before we traveled that one of the restaurants and one of the bars would be shut but what we’re not told was that most of the restaurants were closed and only some were opened and the buffet restaurant was never opened of an evening only for breakfast. We had our 22 month old granddaughter with us and most nights we were unable to get any food for her until 9:30pm because the waiting time was at least an hour and a half to 2 hours every night in the restaurants that were open . Then by the time the food was served it was another wait! I believe this is completely unacceptable and I am so disappointed it totally ruined our holiday, 7 nights out 10 my little granddaughter was not awake to eat any food this resulted in her waking up in the middle of the night hungry! It is very unfair for you to be advertising this property as a five star resort with 11 restaurants when there are definitely not 11 restaurants open at any particular time . The only food that was open was street food which I am not and will not ever be accepting of my granddaughter having to eat this as a meal of an evening.. The two restaurants open at the beach with the only bar in that area was closed every night at 8pm. We could not move too far away as the buzzer they gave you to let you know when your table was ready wouldn’t cope with the distance you had to walk to get a drink! Consequently you had to wait all that time without a drink which once again is totally unacceptable. If anything it should be an adult only hotel as it did not cater for children whatsoever! The only saving grace of this hotel were the wonderful staff, they did us proud & tried to help as much as possible. The management are definitely letting them down as they are the ones everyone is complaining to & it’s not their fault! What should have been a wonderful holiday that we saved all year for was just completely ruined! Read less