In the know
- Our favourite rooms
- The five balcony rooms each have hammocks for lounging in while you soak up the inimitable Playa atmosphere, and rooms 7 and 15 boast the best views of the town. Suites have big bath tubs and day-beds by the window, but whichever room you choose, bear in mind they’re all situated around the bar and the sound of midnight oil-burners does permeate.
- Packing tips
- If you’re not a diehard partygoer, earplugs are essential – although the Deseo DJ’s decks die down at 1am, the club nearby keeps kicking until dawn. You’ll find a beach bag, sarong, sunhat and flip-flops in your room – all available to buy.
- Also
- Although Deseo’s not on the beach, you can sun yourself on the Caribbean sands with free access to a nearby beach club.
Current offers
- Smith card offer
- A bottle of wine, an hour’s bike rental and, if you stay three nights, a fourth night half-price (excludes Friday and Saturday)
Deseo
Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico [view map]
- Style
- All white now
- Setting
- Playa’s party central
People don’t come to Deseo to get away from it all, they come to be in the thick of the action. Slick, minimalist, and almost all-white in design, the hotel is one of Playa del Carmen’s top night-time attractions, with a poolside lounge bar that mixes some of the best drinks – and tracks – in town. Although perfect for lazy poolside sun-soaking during the day, at night the hotel assumes a mantle of clubland sophistication, making it one of the most trendy, vibrant boutique hotels in Mexico.
Need to know
- Rooms
- 15, including three suites.
- Rates
- Midweek, $178–$248; weekend, $208–$278, including breakfast. Tax is 12 per cent extra.
- Check-out
- 1pm, although later check-out may be available on request.
- Facilities
- Library, massage room, free WiFi throughout. In rooms: sound system, minibar, Kiehl’s toiletries.
- Poolside
- The hotel’s pool area doubles as a club lounge at night, with huge sky-blue day-beds to sprawl on and billowy cotton canopies offering respite from the relentless sun.
- Also
- Pets stay free, but there’s no specific canine catering.
Food & drink
- Hotel restaurant
- There’s no restaurant, but you’ll find a self-service breakfast bar beside the pool, offering fruit, yoghurt and cereals. The bar itself serves a selection of Modern tapas until the early hours.
- Dress code
- Bronzed bikini-chic.
- Top table
- Grab a day-bed by the pool and enjoy a lingering, loungey breakfast.
- Last orders
- Tapas is available until 1am, when the bar closes.
- Hotel bar
- Deseo’s pool-deck bar is by day the perfect place to nurse a hangover, and by night the perfect place to ensure you get one. Attracting a young and energetic crowd of Playa party animals, it mixes fantastic cocktails and hip dance tunes.
Smith card offer
A bottle of wine, an hour’s bike rental and, if you stay three nights, a fourth night half-price (excludes Friday and Saturday)
If you're a member of Mr & Mrs Smith, you can get special privileges at every Smith hotel you book through us. Just show your Smith card at check-in to claim the offer featured on every hotel page (like the one above).
Click here to become a Mr & Mrs Smith member
Smith concierge
If you’d prefer to talk to someone, or you’re having trouble booking online, ring our travel team on 0845 034 0700 (+44 20 8987 4312 from outside the UK). We guarantee you’ll get the best available rates, and we don’t charge a booking fee.
Deseo
12 Avenida y Calle
Playa del Carmen
Quintana Roo
Check availability