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Ride up through a see-through wire mesh elevator to the rooftop, past a lime green-colored bar where bartenders are busy doling out delectably frothy looking drinks. From here, you get multiple vistas of all kinds -- past the lounge beds and dunking tubs (Basico's version of pools) the Caribbean stretches out for miles.

Lean over one side, you get the action of the Avenida, below -- lean over another side to an inner courtyard, which gets you an intimate view of the unusual accomodations at The Basico.

All the rooms and suites have womens' names and are almost completely white, other than a hot-pink neon design, an inner tube (the hotel's signature item), and a flat-screen TV. There are sliding glass doors making up a one of the room's "walls," no traditional doors here. The bathtub and sink just next to the bed are "open air" (in fact, the only enclosed space in the room is the toilet). Call me Al Fresco, baby.

The raised bed sits square in the center of the room, underlit, with little stools to help you climb up and in. Given that there are no closets per se and little storage space, your suitcase and stowables go underneath the bed.

There's a recommended restaurant on the premises, and while the hotel doesn't sit right on the beach, it is a short one-block walk down to the playa. What it does offer is comp passes to Mamita's , a tony beach club about a 15 minute stroll from the hotel.

We happened to wander through here on our last day. Cool cats and gorgeous ladies lolled on elevated, wooden canopied lounge beds, sucking on limes, downing the contents of their beer buckets and native tequilas perched on wooden side tables.

Practically every bed was crammed with couples, and small parties; we couldn't tell if they had met that afternoon or a lifetime ago. But clearly everyone was having a ball.

The alcohol was flowing, a volleyball game was in progress, the place throbbed with the thump of house music -- it had all the earmarks of a private playa party. It features a pool, showers, massages, valet parking, bar, lockers, and a restaurant right across the sand.

The Basico offers some firmly unique touches and would definitely appeal to the traveler looking for chic and unusual. And the Mamita's Beach Club passes are a definite perk.

[Photo: Michael Nudo]

Tags: Playa del Carmen Hotel Guide / Mexico Hotels / Chillmex Hotels

by annie0007