Los Itzaes Hotel opened in the early ‘00s, and was renovated in 2014. The hotel expanded and opened its entryway to give the small hotel a bigger feel. Now, breakfast is served in the old reception area, underneath gorgeous hanging vines and a third-floor skylight ceiling. Though daytime can be surprisingly quiet, the hotel has a superb central location and nighttime noise is often a problem (though during our visit the hotel was working on soundproofing the rooms). The open interior hallways, natural light, and tropical landscaping help give the public areas a welcoming vibe, but the lack of an elevator and limited hot water are common complaints. Still, this boutique remains popular with friends and couples looking for a clean and reliable spot in the center of town. 

Los Itzaes has an enviable location off 10th Avenue and 8th Street, right in the center of Playa del Carmen. Perfect for walkers, the hotel’s corner location is near  several restaurants, tour operators, bars, pharmacies, and bike, scooter, and car rentals. There’s a bank and 24-hour convenience store within a two-minute walk. Cancun International Airport is just under an hour’s drive north, while the beachfront ruins of Tulum are about a 45-minute drive south. It’s a six-minute walk to the 5th Avenue ADO bus station, an 11-minute walk to the ferry port to Cozumel, and less than five minutes to the beach. 

All 16 rooms are simple, but well thought out. Each has wall-controlled central air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TVs with cable channels. Two free bottles of water are provided, but drinks from the minibars cost extra. In-room safes are ancient metal boxes that require getting free locks from the front desk. Guests can expect dark olive wood furniture, polished marble tile floors, and pale yellow walls. The French balconies add a romantic feel, though may be to blame for letting in street noise (the hotel is working on soundproofing rooms). Bathrooms are stocked with organic three-piece toiletry sets, step-in showers with contemporary showerheads, and both magnifying mirrors and hairdryers. 

Standard Rooms come with either one king bed or two double beds, though units with king-size beds feel much larger thanks to extra space in the corner. Junior Suites add a love seat sofa bed and more elegant decor. These are corner units, and the extra light brought in by the three windows is a perk. Junior Suites also have their own Wi-Fi network, and a small but deep shower/tub combo.

Los Itzaes has a sunny rooftop pool area with potted palm trees, metal tables and chairs, and strappy plastic loungers with red cushions and umbrellas on request. The pool itself is small, but has jets that can be turned on. The hotel’s beautiful vine-laced atrium hardly goes without comment and is where guests go for their free continental breakfast buffet with pastries, yogurts, and fresh fruit. Hot breakfast upgrades are available, but require an eight-minute trek to a different hotel. A 12-person meeting room is available, and it's a lovely spot with elegant wood details and a lovely rug. Freebies include Wi-Fi, beach towels from reception, local calls within Playa del Carmen, small print jobs, and a small book exchange. Discounted parking rates are available at a nearby third-party lot.