The Fives Downtown Hotel and Residences

sfzak wrote a review July 2025
San Francisco, California

The Fives Downtown has every opportunity to become a beloved favorite. And for five years, we’ve kept hoping it might be

Review:
We’ve stayed at The Fives Downtown at least twice a year for the past five years. You’d think that level of loyalty might earn a bit of recognition, a familiar smile at check-in, or a note in the system that says, “Welcome back.” But every visit feels like the first—in the wrong way. The hotel has no memory of us. No record, no relationship, no awareness. It’s like shouting into the void with your wallet open.

And that’s a shame, because this place could be special. The rooftop is still visually stunning, the location ideal. But the disconnect between intention and execution has grown harder to ignore.

Arrival & First Impressions (3.3/5):
Check-in was polite but impersonal. As returning guests, we were met with the same transactional script we’ve heard every time. No “welcome back,” no “nice to see you again.” Just a room key and a sales pitch for a timeshare. The lobby is forgettable: dim lighting, stale scent, nothing to stir anticipation.

Room Quality & Detail:
The bed was comfortable this time—a noticeable improvement from a past visit where it sagged into a soft crater. But once again, practical issues ruined the vibe. Outlets were few and oddly placed. Lighting design was more about mood than function. There’s no good space to work, and storage felt like a design afterthought. It’s a room that photographs well but lives poorly.

Bathroom & Cleanliness (3/5):
Functional, not flawless. The kind of bathroom that looks clean until you catch the light on a smudged mirror or glance up at the dusty vents. Maintenance seems to be done on a surface level—just enough to get by.

Health & Clean Air (3.7/5):
Thankfully, the air was clean and fragrance-free. No overwhelming artificial scents or lingering humidity issues—just neutral, breathable space. A small but important win.

Food & Beverage (2.5/5):
This rooftop should be a highlight, but it’s undercut by inconsistency. Drinks varied wildly in quality. Some food came out cold. Service felt scattered. One night the bartender was brilliant, the next they didn’t know how to make a basic margarita. There’s no rhythm to it.

Beach Conditions:
The hotel isn’t beachfront, but the beach is just blocks away—and it’s hard to ignore. The once-beautiful shoreline is now choked with seagrass. It piles up in soggy, rotting mounds, making the water appear murky and uninviting. Walking the beach no longer feels like a reprieve. It feels like the ocean is sick and in need of a good doctor. This isn’t something the hotel controls—but it deeply affects the experience of staying in this part of Playa del Carmen.

Departure (1/5):
We left the way we arrived: unnoticed. Checkout was chaotic and indifferent. No offer to help with bags. No request for feedback. No goodbye. Just a printout, a plastic smile, and the subtle suggestion that it’s time to leave.

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Final Thoughts:
The Fives Downtown has every opportunity to become a beloved favorite. And for five years, we’ve kept hoping it might get there. But the truth is, the hotel has no relationship with its guests—no memory, no nuance, no follow-through. We keep showing up. But they never seem to notice.

Date of Stay: July 2025

hol_loverDarlington wrote a review July 2025
Stockton-on-Tees, England

We loved our 2 week stay at the Fives and would return again for sure!
The rooms were large and clean and had everything you need for a comfortable stay. All the staff at the hotel were polite and friendly and the guys on the rooftop are an absolute credit to the place. You need to be up there as soon as it opens to get a lounger as they get snapped up quick. Definitely do the Domingo (sunday) bottomless brunch, the food is amazing and drinks all day.
We really enjoyed the breakfast-you can request bacon its worth noting.
The addition of the turtles in the courtyard is very cute and I enjoyed watching them potter around. On that note, its almost impossible to dry anything in a room facing the courtyard so take note if you're someone who washes clothes on holiday.
The hotel is ideally located near to the very busy 5th Ave (we preferred to use 10th Ave to get about). The beach is a short walk as is the ferry port and there's hundreds of bars and restaurants around the area to choose from.
Thanks to all staff for a fabulous stay! :)

Date of Stay: July 2025

gregorydavidf wrote a review July 2025
Charlotte, North Carolina

Average at Best. 6th time stay

Stayed here a half dozen times. It’s just ok. Main reason we stay here is because how close it is to the ADO bus station. This may be our last for a while. The room is just average. We used to get a free breakfast, not any more. The small bar attached to the hotel was closed again. Was closed on last visit as well. No one seems to know why. The roof top pool is ok. Finally replaced the rotten wood around that area. Will look for a better option for our next stay. Again it’s just average with an above average cost.

Date of Stay: July 2025

L3027KVdidierb wrote a review July 2025

Unhappy

We are still here and in the beginning in was very good. But today when we arrived at the pool at 9, there were no towels. We had to wait until 10 past ten to get them. When we wanted to order a drink, we were told that service started at 11, while the other days before we could order from 9.30. It’s a little bit disappointing.

Date of Stay: July 2025

brendand966 wrote a review July 2025

Poor Check in Experience - Honeymoon

Upon check in we were told we had to pay an additional daily tax amount by Yarely, despite us telling her we had paid all the taxes in advance and this was included in our package. Eventually we spoke to her supervisor Jesus and he informed her that we were correct.

My wife and I are here on our honeymoon after coming from Cancún. I inquired about getting something additional to our stay to help us celebrate our honeymoon, Jesus (the supervisor) didn’t acknowledge that we’re on honeymoon, didn’t congratulate us and point blank refused to do anything that could help elevate our experience.

Both Jesus and Yarely have started our trip off on a very disappointing note considering we’ve just completed the check in process.

So far I wouldn’t recommend this hotel.

Date of Stay: July 2025

elizabethh_tripadv wrote a review August 2025

Nice hotel in PDC

The rooms are so big! The bathroom shower is great. Great customer service and a coffee shop downstairs. The breakfast is great! Location is only 2 blocks from 5th and from the main ADO station. Very close to the ferry docks. The rooftop pool and bar area are nice.

Date of Stay: July 2025

Trail292652 wrote a review August 2025
Castle Rock, Colorado

Great Stay in downtown Playa Del Carmen

Exceptional Service at The Fives Downtown – Playa del Carmen
During our stay at The Fives Downtown, we had the pleasure of being looked after by some truly outstanding staff members who made our experience unforgettable.
Sandy and Dorrey – Breakfast Wait Staff
Every morning, Sandy and Dorrey greeted us with genuine warmth and attentiveness that set the tone for the day. Their service was impeccable—always prompt, cheerful, and accommodating. Whether it was remembering our coffee preferences or offering helpful suggestions from the menu, they consistently went above and beyond to ensure we felt welcomed and cared for. Their friendly demeanor and professionalism made breakfast not just a meal, but a delightful experience.

Marcela at the rooftop bar was equally impressive. Her energy and hospitality brought the rooftop to life. She was knowledgeable about the drink menu and crafted cocktails with flair and precision. Marcela's engaging personality and attention to detail made every evening feel special, whether we were enjoying a sunset drink or winding down after a day of exploring. Her ability to create a relaxed yet vibrant atmosphere was truly appreciated.

Final Thoughts

The Fives Downtown is a beautiful property, but it’s the people like Sandy, Dorrey, and Marcela who elevate the experience. Their dedication to excellent service and genuine care for guests made our stay memorable. We’re grateful for their hospitality and look forward to returning!

All the best

Date of Stay: August 2025

H5577QXrebeccar wrote a review August 2025
Austin, Texas

Romantic gorgeous getaway with the best staff

This hotel is fabulous and my fiancé and I had a wonderful time there. It was basically the highlight of our whole PDC/Cozumel trip from 8/22-8/29. We spent our first three nights at the Fives in a gorgeous room that we agreed to pay extra for at check in, but when we saw it we realized that the beautiful Erik at the front desk had totally undersold it - we would easily have paid twice what we did for how much better the room was (full panoramic balcony and ocean view, jacuzzi on the balcony, kitchenette etc.). At check-in I’d mentioned that we were thinking of eloping on the trip, and later Erik phoned us to ask about the room and mentioned sending up a “surprise.” To our sheer delight when we came back later that day the staff had decorated our entire room with balloons and left a gorgeous cheese plate, chocolate cake with decoration, bottle of champagne, and hand-drawn letter congratulating us on our future marriage. We were incredibly touched at the gesture, beyond what words can describe. In addition to that, we very much enjoyed our time at the rooftop pool which is immaculate, with perfect friendly service from Josedir, Tomas, and Dorreymin, among others. The staff were the highlight of the hotel but the property and rooms are also gorgeous and the pool is just what you want in this kind of vacay. Breakfast was ample, varied and delicious, way better than expected for the nominal fee. We can’t say thank you enough to the staff of the Fives Downtown for turning a simple hotel stay into a relationship-fortifying lifelong memory.

Date of Stay: August 2025