Calle 28 Entre Avenida 5 y 10, Playa del Carmen, Mexico | (888) 252-1244
Small, relaxed spot just a half-block from the busy La
Quinta Avenida strip
Under a 10-minute walk to the beach, as well as to two popular beach
clubs (Kool and Mamita’s)
Clean (if basic) rooms with lots of natural light,
mini-fridges, and outdoor space
Rooms all face outward toward tropical garden grounds
Small garden swimming pool with a few loungers, daybeds, and a cabana
Communal purified water coolers, microwave, and lending
library with DVDs
Free daily special breakfasts served under a poolside palapa
Free Wi-Fi
Rooms could use some updating
King beds are two twins pushed together
No deals or discounts with local beach clubs
Just a half-block off the northern La Quinta Avenida strip,
the BRIC Hotel features a quiet atmosphere surrounded by beautiful tropical
gardens. The mid-range boutique’s common areas are stylish and have personality,
but the 14 rooms don’t quite match up. They're a tad neglected and dated, although the
small rooms do have flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and patios. Outside there’s
free hot breakfast, purified water, and a garden with a small pool as well as a handful of lounge
beds and chairs. Unlike most off-beach boutiques in the area, the Bric does not
have deals with local beach clubs, though there’s a public beach within a
10-minute walk.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
Open-air, bright, and stylish public areas with dated guestrooms
The scene at the BRIC feels a bit like it’s in transition. This upper-middle-range boutique, built in 2004, has a Caribbean-hacienda vibe throughout, from the lobby, to the pool, to the breakfast palapa -- and is even noticeable in the staff’s
casual but chic uniforms. You won't find a bonafide lobby at the entrance, just a built-in couch with dark blue tile back and glass-topped dark wood coffee table. From the couch, there are straight-on views of
the small, indoor reception area as well as the nearby covered outdoor sitting space, large breakfast
palapa, and central garden pool area. Guest rooms are housed in light peach hacienda-style
buildings with white trim, curved doorways, and textured concrete walls.
Everything out here is open-air, bright, and relaxed -- although if it’s a
packed house, you may have to fight for space by the pool as there’s barely
a handful of loungers and cabanas combined. Unfortunately, the rooms themselves feel a few decades behind, lacking the stylish and chic vibe found in the public outdoor areas.
Location
Located a half-block from the northern La Quinta strip
BRIC hotel is located just a half-block west of the swarms
of pedestrian traffic, shops, restaurants, and bars on the La Quinta Avenida
strip. While there’s still a fair amount of foot traffic along the street right
outside, the hotel is fairly quiet for its proximity to the strip, although, as with most
places in Playa, all bets are off at night. Cancun Airport is about a 45-minute
straight shot north on Highway 307, while Akumal’s famed snorkeling waters and
lazy beach town Tulumn’s picturesque ruins are about 30 and 45 minutes south,
respectively. Popular parks Xplor, Xcaret, and Xel-Ha are all located (and
clearly marked) off the highway on your way to Cancun.
Rooms
Small rooms that could use some updating
With only 14 rooms, BRIC hotel is one of the smaller boutiques in Playa
del Carmen. And while the current management company made a few upgrades in
2014, like switching out the old boxy TVs for flat-screens, overall, the rooms
could use a little more attention -- or at least some help bringing them up to the same
standards as the common outdoor spaces. Rooms are small (but not cramped) and come with purified drinking water, mini-fridges, and patio or balcony space
with a hammock. Biodegradable toiletries include shampoo, bath gel,
conditioner, and soap. Decor includes white walls, tile floors, and basic wooden furniture.
Features
Great free breakfast, garden pool area, and free Wi-Fi
While the hotel has typical boutique features, the free breakfast
is better than most. Billed as a continental, the breakfast is served in the
covered, but open-air poolside palapa and goes a step beyond the traditional
cold fare. Each day there is a different hot main course, such as pancakes, Mexican breakfast burritos, or Chilaquiles (a traditional Mexican dish), and the space has a casual country-kitchen
vibe. Hot coffee, tea, orange juice, toast, and mixed fruit with granola and yogurt are always included. Beyond the breakfast, the hotel is centered around a small garden set pool area with minimal lounge space (though there is a comfy cabana), and guests get free Wi-Fi, a DVD and book library,
communal water cooler with drinking water, and use of a microwave.
Unfortunately, unlike most other boutiques in Playa, this hotel does not offer
any beach club deals or discounts.
