With a wide variety of places to eat and drink in a lush environment, see what you can expect from the foodie scene at Royal Hideaway Playacar, a resort in Cancun, Mexico from writer Irene Middleman Thomas.

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Royal Hideaway Playacar – a very special hideaway indeed

Strolling through the meandering pathways of the Royal Hideaway Playacar resort, I reveled in the tropical foliage and water features, took selfies on the tiny bridges and delighted in the adorable furry agoutis scampering about. Housed in the exclusive Playacar neighborhood of Playa del Carmen, the resort seemed a million miles from the busy, but festive shopping and dining district of Quinta Avenida a short walk outside the gates of the neighborhood.

The regal entry to Royal Hideaway Playacar. Photo by Courtney Drake-McDonough.

“Playa,” as Playa del Carmen is affectionately known, is 40 miles to the south of Cancun, and was originally known solely as the launch point for the ferry to the island of Cozumel, 12 miles offshore to the east. A small quiet fishing village some 30-40 years ago, Playa del Carmen is now a bustling city with over 300,000 inhabitants, many of them expats. With the same incredibly beautiful Caribbean waters of Cancun (an infinity of turquoises!) the beaches of Playa have much less surf, due to the Great Mayan Reef as well as Cozumel as a barrier.

Staying at the adults-only Royal Hideaway Playacar, with its six dining venues, was a gastronomic journey without par. Executive Chef Isaías Cárdenas, who began his cooking passion at age six with his mother at the family taqueria in Guadalajara, says he went on to “begin to discover flavors, smells and shapes that awakened in me incredible emotions.

“At home, the use of the molcajete, the mill and the metate was something common, I enjoyed watching my mother in the kitchen, mixing the flavors of Jalisco, a true delight.”

At 18, Cárdenas entered the hotel world, finished his studies at UTBB in Banderas, Nayarit and has worked in top-ranked hotels with the best Mexican and foreign chefs and has interacted several times with Michelin-starred chefs.

Always seeking creative and innovative cuisine, while respecting and honoring Mexican cultural culinary roots, Chef Cárdenas says he enjoys seeing guests “marvel with our gastronomy.”

A Variety of Elegant Dining at Royal Hideaway Playacar

Four of the six dining venues require more formal attire, befitting the elegant atmospheres. Those restaurants are:

Plazzo which serves a la carte Italian and European fare overlooking the property’s gardens.

Azia serves Asian fusion cuisine designed by a team of master chefs.

Club Royale serves dinner as well as theater-style shows.

Las Ventanas was the crème de la crème for me. The à la carte restaurant which requires reservations and does accept non-guests also offers a special “Chef’s Table” experience. The sumptuous, rather decadent (in a good way!) meal consists of a 6 or 12 course gourmet tasting menu designed by the executive chef and his team. Note: This experience does require an additional charge for hotel guests.

I was dazzled by the eclectic presentation and tantalizing flavors of the dishes and loved them all. I am not typically a raw meat person, but the New York Wagyu carpaccio, adorned with Caesar dressing, capers and mustard sorbet, was worth becoming one.

Next course was a tuna tartar with ceviche, followed by bluefin tuna ‘tarantello’ prepared with basil, habanero chile, green ceviche with celery and wild greens. Course after course ensued, each with perfectly paired wines. The uncommon totoaba con migas, a fish sustainably procured from the Sea of Cortés, was prepared with migas, a sort of crumblike topping made with garlic, chile and egg yolk, along with ibéricos, a pork only found in Spain and Portugal.

But I have to admit that my never-forget was the paleta de frutos rojos, an upscale “popsicle” of fresh berries, with dark chocolate and raspberry sauce, artfully set upon black river rocks and green leaves. Not only delicious, I loved the whimsy of the presentation – such fun!

The beautiful paleta de frutos rojos popsicle from Las Ventanas. Photo courtesy Royal Hideaway Playacar.

Hungry for more? Read about additional places to dine in the Playacar area.

Casual dining at Royal Hideaway Playacar

The Grill serves grilled specialties perfect for romantic al fresco dining.

Spices has great ocean views and services Mexican and Caribbean cuisine as well as local specialties and fresh seafood. They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Next day’s lunch beachside in a Bali-style tented enclosure was total luxury. It was prepared in the Deck Restaurant specifically for beachside dining. As my excellent server waited on me, I felt like royalty – if only for a day. I started with a superb fresh-from-the-sea tostada with ceviche Vallarta-style, sided with freshly made tostadas slices of avocado and exotic salsa macha (made with sesame seeds, various nuts, chiles and oils.)

Ceviche enjoyed at Royal Hideaway Playacar. Photo courtesy Royal Hideaway Playacar.

Next came blue crab tacos, along with Persian cucumber salad with lemon and aioli. For me, the pièce de résistance was the pescado zarandeado, one of my personal favorites in Mexico. This fish of the day was served with a fresh quelite salad and prepared in the traditional Nayarit state recipe of zarandeado, which smothers the fish in chile and spices, then slowly smoke-grills it in mesquite while being continually basted with chiles and spices.

Finally, the dessert, enhanced by gazing at the Caribbean and feeling the soft breeze. Again, I marveled at the moment. Chocolate mousse, with homemade mamey ice cream and a sublime sauce made of guajillo chile!

There are also several bars and lounges on the property including Las Ventanas Lounge Bar which offers teatime complete with petite savory and sweet items and tea sandwiches.

Ahh, if I could just transport myself back to Royal Hideaway Playacar every now and then!

To learn more about Royal Hideaway Playacar, visit their website, here. 

-Story by Irene Middleman Thomas

Please note: Our thanks to SOMA Creative Laboratory for making the gastronomic tour and accommodations at Royal Hideaway Playacar in Playa del Carmen possible. As is the policy of RealFoodTraveler.com, this does not influence the opinions of our writers who provide their honest opinions to our readers.

About SOMA creative laboratory: We are visual alchemists connecting Brands with the original essence of their creation through a deep connection with love and nature to awaken their greatest potential.