John
Reviews
77 total reviews
95% rated 5★
77 reviews
4.95
2021–2025
Cleanliness 4.9
Accuracy 5.0
Communication 4.8
Location 4.9
Check-in 4.9
Value 4.9
77 reviews

Kristine
Excellent, 11 months ago
Before I gush about how lovely John's place was (which it was), I just want to say how above and beyond kind John was. So welcoming and so communicative. He made us feel like we were staying at a friend's, not a stranger's. His place was LOVELY and exactly as pictured. The complex felt like all the best parts of staying at a resort, but none of the negatives. It was quiet, safe, the pool was beautiful, and the private beach was really well kept. We loved that the location was convenient to the main drag but not in the middle of the party. We'd go back in a heartbeat and recommend John's place to anyone. Seriously, if you're like me and had 30 properties open agonizing over the right one, pick this one. You won't regret it.

Brandon
Excellent, 11 months ago
Absolutely wonderful place. We’re spotless and had all the amenities we could ask for. Steps away from the pool and the beach and a hot tub. It was paradise. The host is super responsive and very helpful with lots of recommendations. Will definitely be back in the future.!
Host Response
Thank you, Brandon Let me know when you and your friends want to come back. You’re welcome anytime…… 🇲🇽🥳🇲🇽 Salud John

Sabi
Excellent, 1 year ago
Our stay was absolutely incredible! The apartment is beautiful, spacious, and perfectly located. The pool is massive and right beside the apartment—my kids had an amazing time swimming every day. The private beach is just a short 2-minute walk away, quiet and perfect for relaxing. What really made our experience special was John, the host. He is by far the best host we have ever met—extremely friendly, welcoming, and always quick to answer any questions we had. He went above and beyond to make sure we felt comfortable and at home. We couldn’t have asked for a better vacation. We will definitely be back next summer for sure! Thank you so much, John, for making our trip unforgettable.

Sabine
Excellent, 1 year ago
We felt very comfortable in the apartment. There was enough space for 4 people. We liked the terrace right by the pool, but with privacy through the palm trees. We were asked again and again if everything was good and the little things we asked about were answered immediately.

Carlos
Excellent, 1 year ago
Excellent apartment with private beach in Playa del Carmen

Pedro
Excellent, 1 year ago
John was a fantastic host—thoughtful, responsive, and incredibly helpful throughout our stay. From the moment we booked, he made sure we had all the information we needed and even checked in to offer local recommendations and transportation help. The condo was just as described, perfectly located, and very comfortable for our family. We truly appreciated John’s warmth and hospitality and would absolutely stay again. Highly recommended!

Priss
Excellent, 1 year ago
beautiful condominium, it has everything you need, John is the best, he is attentive to his guests, I loved being here, I will definitely return next year with my family. lindo condominio en frente al mar, tiene todo lo que se necesita, John es lo máximo, es atento con sus huespedes , yo amè estar aqui, de seguro el proximo año regreso con mi familia.
Host Response
Thank you so much Priss, you and your friends where a pleasure to host and are welcome back anytime......... Have a great week, John
Jose A
Excellent, 1 year ago
Great place to spend your vacations. Close to Quinta avenida and restaurants. You do not need a car to go to places to eat or shop. Pretty Nice pool and beach bar. The place is amazing and clean. John recommendations to eat were spot on. The apartment has everything you need for entertaining. We will love to go back.

David
Excellent, 1 year ago
John is a great host always reachable and giving follow up on everything. He provided very good local recommendations.

Jameel
Excellent, 1 year ago
The condo was great. Had everything that you need .Was in a great location and had all the amenities and utilities that you will need for a stay in mexico. John is available at all times and knowledgeable of the area. He is a great host and is willing to help at all times I enjoyed my stay in the condo. Thanks

Angela
Excellent, 1 year ago
The location of this condo is absolutely perfect. It’s away from the hustle and bustle of fifth Avenue with plenty of shops and restaurants in walking distance. Fifth Avenue a quick cab ride away. This is exactly where we would want to stay the next time we come back to Playa. This is my sixth time visiting. We usually stay closer to fifth Avenue. This is my new favorite spot. The condo was immaculate!!! John very responsive if we needed anything. He gave us great restaurant recommendations.
Host Response
Thank you so much for your five star review 🙏You are welcome back anytime. Have a wonderful 4th of July. Thanks, John.

Devon
Excellent, 1 year ago
Communication with John was great -he was friendly, quick to respond, and had many recommendations of places to eat. The unit was in walking distance to many things and accommodated our 4 total guest wonderfully. Would recommend.
Host Response
Thank you Devon, I am so happy you and your friends have fun at The Elements, I hope you come back soon....... Cheers, John
Nadia
Good, 1 year ago
Overall, fantastic stay at the Elements! The unit is awesome - fully stocked, clean, just like the pictures. The location of the unit in the complex was perfect for us and our young daughter - ground floor, steps from the pool. John was an incredible host. Probably the best host I’ve ever dealt with on Air Bnb - kind, responsive, offered so many helpful tips and suggestions. We had a few questions during our stay and John replied almost instantly. He also helped us arrange an airport transfer. One comment (only reason for not a perfect score!) - if you happen to visit while there is a seaweed (common issue in playa del carmen and surrounding areas), which unfortunately was the case while we were there - crews attempt to clean the seaweed daily and dump it in front of the Elements complex which is very stinky and loud (the tractors). As such, we weren’t able to use the beach club while we were there. Check the beach conditions before you go.

Adam
Excellent, 1 year ago
Perfect place to stay on our trip to Playa with the family!

Carlos
Excellent, 1 year ago
Very nice place to stay with you family, you will Love this condo.

Charisse
Excellent, 1 year ago
Great ground floor location. Easy to walk out to the pool or beach with kids. Or to grab a bite. The pool was so great for our 6yo.

Leonardo
Excellent, 1 year ago
Beautiful, peaceful location. Responsive hosts! We were very happy and would book here again!

Ainė
Excellent, 1 year ago
Very cosy condo with a patio and pool by side as well as secured beached and very nice restaurant inside. Enjoyed staying there. So highly recommended condo and host!

Ken
Excellent, 1 year ago
A very nice oasis, close to all the fun and activities of Playa del Carmen

Lisa
Good, 1 year ago
The Good: The condo and building were very nice. Everything was clean. The pool was pretty, and the hot tub was warm. The private beach was nice. It was very quiet, but still an easy walk to La Quinta. Air conditioning was great. The So So: The people at the front desk for check in were not super friendly. Each person got a bracelet and we were told we had to wear it the entire time we were there, which was a little annoying (this is problematic for me because I'm allergic to nickel, so wearing the bracelet gave me a rash). Having only one apartment key for a family of four was not ideal, we had to make sure that you could get the key from the last person who was in the condo when you wanted to go back to the condo and chill. This was especially important since you needed to key to turn the lights on, so you couldn't give the key to someone else, and just hang out in the condo without it.

Tod
Excellent, 1 year ago
We wanted a quieter private ish but still walkable to town nightlife and restaurants. This condo is ground floor of a private hotel. Very quiet and there were always chairs at the pool and beach available. never had to worry about trying to save a spot early like at a regular hotel. The gym is adequate for vacation level workouts and the staff is very helpful. There is a pool wait staff that will bring you light meals and drinks from the bar at the beach. So it feels like your at a resort but you have a spacious 2 BR/2 Bath condo to go back to. Kitchen was well supplied for tools and dishes, full sized everything, internet and TV worked great, AC was perfect, drinking water delivery was cheap and easy from the front desk staff. We even did a couple loads of laundry in the unit while were there. Couldn't have been a better choice for where to stay in Playa. Would absolutely recommend!

Manny
Excellent, 1 year ago
Great location. Amazing pool and hot tub. Staff were very attentive and keep the grounds clean.

David
Excellent, 1 year ago
Amazing place would highly recommend this space.

Vianey
Excellent, 2 years ago
Kathy's place is the best, the facilities are beautiful and the staff is very kind and always attentive to what you need. Also Kathy was very nice to us and was looking forward to our stay, we appreciate her kindness. By the way, the pool is very nice and the jacuzzi is very enjoyable. Everything excellent.

Monica
Excellent, 2 years ago
We loved this property. Everything was very clear from the start with Kathy. Sure will be back :-)

Mirjam
Excellent, 2 years ago
we enjoyed the beautiful apartment with shaded terrace, right next to the pool. The service is friendly and helpful and the environment is beautiful and cozy. It was pretty quiet in terms of tourists through the season, making attractions/sights nice to visit. The food is delicious and the sea animals are wonderful. We swam with whale sharks, definitely recommended!

Ashley
Excellent, 2 years ago
The condo was great! Very clean, had almost everything we needed. The property felt extremely safe. So did the area around it. We walked to 5th avenue and to several dinner spots. The beds were very comfortable and I fell in love with the sofa. We went to the beach club a couple times and had them deliver pool side (They have a Whats App number you can text). Would have been helpful to know before hand that we needed to purchase trash bags. I may have missed that somewhere? We also purchased more toilet paper during the week (FYI in case you want to bring some with you, or purchase before you get there).

Julissa
Excellent, 2 years ago
Absolutely loved this place! We’ve been to Mexico many times and this is really top tier! Quite family oriented easy access to pool and beach! Very safe!

Jorge
Excellent, 2 years ago
Excellent place , corresponds to the photographs , clean and with great maintenance inside and outside the apartment . Very friendly and helpful staff . The beach club the pool and all the first-class facilities. I will definitely be back . My family was very pleased . Thank you Katy.

Robert
Excellent, 2 years ago
Playa del Carmen is incredible and Kathy’s place is in an awesome little part of town. People are friendly, the pool is quiet and the vibes were immaculate. There was a little construction at the pool the last two days we were there but it wasn’t too disruptive. Kathy had great recommendations for transportation and restaurants and they were all amazing. Would definitely stay here again and have already recommended it to friends.

Eduardo
Excellent, 2 years ago
We were as a family in Kathy's space and just the whole experience was phenomenal. Totally recommended.

Marco
Excellent, 2 years ago
Very nice and good apartment. Located in a very good municipality. Unfortunately, they leave the collected brown algae right next to the beach club. That's why it smells very strict by the pool and on the terrace. If this were not the case, it would be a 10/10 so unfortunately only 7/10.

Fany
Excellent, 2 years ago
Super

Irving
Excellent, 2 years ago
The place is amazing and has everything it shows; there is privacy and it is in the best area, it has everything to be in the place or to go out is everything very close; the communication is for the indispensable, but in general the place is very good; I would definitely stay here again

Jennifer
Repeat guest
Excellent, 2 years ago
This was our second time staying at Kathy's place. Thank you so much Kathy for a wonderful vacation!

Thierry
Excellent, 2 years ago
My expectations were high but they were met. Pristine location a few steps from the ocean. Well furnished. Communication with Kathy was fast. I will be back if I can.
Christie
Excellent, 2 years ago
We absolutely loved the condo. Kathy was wonderful and responsive. The pool and beach club were perfect and so close. We loved the area. Very safe and walkable. We will be back!

Natalie
Excellent, 2 years ago
Kathy’s place and the elements were brilliant 🤩 smart and tidy and staff all friendly and helpful. The ground floor apartment was fantastic for the kids coming in and out of the pool xx

Marla
Excellent, 2 years ago
The Elements is fabulous and so was this place! I've been coming to Playa del Carmen since 2005 and it's been so fun to watch it evolve and grow. I've had my eye out on The Elements for quite some time and finally made it happen. It was beyond expectations!! The unit was quiet and peaceful with great views. Despite being on the first floor, it was surprisingly private. The unit was very clean and well-stocked with great amenities. The beach club was fabulous to have nearby. The gym was well-equipped and air-conditioned. The host was wonderful and responsive! We will be back for sure. :)

Caroline
Excellent, 2 years ago
Beautiful condo Great access to a beautiful pool and beach club Condo is well furnished and clean Host very responsive There was construction around the pool that created noise but this is only temporarily Great stay

Gabriel
Excellent, 2 years ago
Excellent place to vacation! We would definitely stay again

Tracy
Excellent, 2 years ago
Kathy´s place was wonderful! The condo and surroundings were perfect! It is close to the beach and within walking distance of town where there are a lot of great places to eat and buy great gifts to take home with you! I would highly recommend this place!

Kate
Excellent, 3 years ago
My family had a great stay in Playa. It was exactly what we were looking for- a humongous pool steps out the door and the beach just a few steps past that. Our son wanted to do nothing else but swim, so we would do that all day, and walk to lunch and dinner (amazing places very nearby). Communication was great, location was great. We would go back again in a heartbeat. Thank you!!

Erika
Excellent, 3 years ago
The location of the apartment is excellent. We felt safe staying at the apartment and letting our girls enjoy the pool in front of the apartment. You have everything close, the beach, the pool and Quinta Avenida. We did a couple of tours and we didn’t need to rent a car because of the location it was an easy walk to the Quinta Avenida. The pool is beautiful and warm. We will come back for sure! Thanks Kathy.

Cinthya
Excellent, 3 years ago
The place and location was great, Kathy's attention was very quick

Ted
Excellent, 3 years ago
This was a great family friendly condo very quiet with mostly families or older guests. Condo was every bit as nice as the pictures show. Good location only a couple blocks to 5th street. The staff at the condo are great they hooked us up with snorkeling and scuba diving trips from the Reef hotel next door (I highly recommend the discovery scuba dive trip for $135 included about an hour of training in the pool and then 2 tank dives in the reefs in front of the hotel. scuba diving is 1000 times better then snorkeling we saw a huge turtle stingrays eagle rays and tons of beautiful fish). Loved the 5th street strip of playa del Carmen was very vibrant, friendly and safe feeling. A great location but have reasonable expectations of the beach in this area it is not the beautiful clear water and white sand as in Cancun or other beaches.

Juan
Excellent, 3 years ago
Good place, well located.

Andres
Excellent, 3 years ago
Beautiful apartment, with all the necessary amenities to spend a good family vacation. With an excellent location facing the sea. The staff of the condominium with good disposition at all times, very friendly. We had a great time ☺️

Juan Carlos
Good, 3 years ago
Excellent location, near 5th avenue, restaurants and beach, very quiet to be with your family. The condo had everything you describe, very comfortable and functional. Just a detail when checking in, they didn't have my reservation, they made me wait for the front desk more than 1 hour, I arrived around 9pm and they couldn't reach Kathy. They take care of that part if they get late for the time difference with the owner.

Irabella
Excellent, 3 years ago
We loved our stay in Kathy’s condo. Everything was beautifully appointed and I loved the personal touches in the decor. The proximity to the pool was great and because of the palms in front of the place still felt private. We had a great stay! Would totally stay here again!

Krystal
Good, 3 years ago
We had a great stay! The patio is great and feels like a private oasis. The pool is right outside the condo. The private beach area with the pool bar was super convenient. Location is wonderful if you want to have quiet time at night but still be close enough to walk to restaurants and night life. The host was very responsive to any of our questions. The only con is that there were tiny persistent ants on the kitchen countertops which we were told was a common issue in playa del Carmen.
Host Response
So happy to hear that you enjoyed your stay and loved the patio, pool, and private beach. Thank you for choosing our condo! There is a very common native gnat in Mexico called chakistes. We've been told that we can't exterminate for them; they are just in beach areas.

Jody
Excellent, 3 years ago
Kathy’s garden house apartment at The Elements in Playa Del Carmen was clean, convenient and a perfect spot for a relaxing vacation. The patio is secluded but offered great views of the pool area and the Caribbean Sea. The condo is decorated with beachy vibes and stocked with everything you need to cook. The amenities at the The Elements are top notch. The grounds are tropical and well kept. The pool is huge and amazing for kids to swim in all day long! The property felt very safe and secure. The staff there were friendly and accommodating. The new beach club had great pizzas, wings and nachos! And of course great margaritas and pina coladas! We look forward to visiting the area again. There are so many great restaurants within walking distance we did not get a rental car! We had a small issue with the refrigerator but Kathy was responsive and had it fixed right away! Thanks for the great vacation!

Mely
Excellent, 3 years ago
The place is safe and very nice, how it looks in the photos, clean with all the amenities! Kathy always responds quickly and is very friendly! At the front desk, everyone was very friendly. The place is easy to find and close to everything! Thanks to Kathy we hope to be back soon!

Jamil
Excellent, 3 years ago
Great stay at Kathy's place at The Elements. The pool was great, apt was great, people were friendly, and Kathy was super helpful. Would definitely stay there again!

Catalina
Excellent, 3 years ago
Este lugat es and paraiso terrenal❤️

Francisco
Excellent, 3 years ago
thank you very much Kathy for your attention and residence

Anthony
Excellent, 3 years ago
The unit is modern and elegant, gets lots of light and was quiet at night. The kids enjoyed watching TV on the couch in the evening. The master bed was good, the closet was great. I mostly enjoyed the sliding doors/patio area, it felt private. The property feels like what a resort should be, it is well maintained and the staff is helpful and polite. We mostly enjoyed behind so close to the pool and to the beach. The attendant at the beach was so nice, he would open the gates to residents, greet them. We felt safe letting our kids run back and forth to the unit while we were on the beach. The water was fairly clean, there was a little bit of seaweed but not enough to be a problem. It was nice walking to 38th street, or just across the street to 7-11 for a soda. The area felt quieter than other areas of PDC and we enjoyed that. The host and the staff were very responsive.

Holly
Excellent, 3 years ago
Location Location Location! Condo is nearly as beautiful as the surroundings :) It's well appointed and the front desk staff at Elements was incredibly helpful and made sure we had what we needed.

Marie-Josee
Excellent, 3 years ago
Great location! The fact that the condo is on the ground floor makes it very easy with kids. We enjoyed the pool and the condo is very comfortable

Jennifer
Repeat guest
Excellent, 3 years ago
What a lovely place! The condo is beautifully decorated with wonderful amenities. Just a short walk to some great restaurants, & just steps from the pool AND the beach! We had everything we needed for a relaxing time away. Thank you Kathy for hosting us!

Lariza
Excellent, 3 years ago
Excellent! Very good location, both the complex and the apartment that leads directly to the common pool!

Tiffany
Excellent, 3 years ago
100% recommended

Susan
Excellent, 3 years ago
This condo is fantastic and the amenities at The Elements were very nice. Would definitely go back. The only thing that was not wonderful is they play very loud music at the beach club next door. But otherwise it’s nice and quiet and because of where it’s located on the beach it is a much less crowded area.
Esperanza
Excellent, 3 years ago
Everything was clean, in order, beautiful location, check-in problems and the host didn't answer me but in general everything was perfect

Luke
Excellent, 4 years ago
This apartment was everything we had hoped for and more. Everything was available and we wanted for nothing. Great location, quiet yet close to all the restaurants and shopping if you want to have some night life too.
Bernie
Excellent, 4 years ago
We had the most fantastic time here. The pool area was well looked after and never busy. Lovely that you could swim until 10.00 but noise level still low. The private beach area not large but again never busy and furniture of a high standard. Accommodation brilliant. Air conditioning much appreciated when the temperature was 35 outside. The kitchen had everything you needed. Towels and bed linen a good quality. The beds huge. You will not be disappointed here.

Chris
Excellent, 4 years ago
Great location with lots of restaurants and shops within 10 minutes walk. Great resort style pool steps away. Beach across a small street with private loungers and umbrellas. Beach bar closed under construction but a temp setup available. All in all, we’d come back, our family with grade school kids really enjoyed the stay.

Omar
Excellent, 4 years ago
A great place to stay with your family

Rebecca
Excellent, 4 years ago
Great place. I love that it was close to everything. And the private beach was wonderful! Even tho there was so much seaweed me and my family couldn’t swim. I would highly recommend this place :)

Joan
Excellent, 4 years ago
Great stay in PDC. Excellent communication with Kathy; very useful recommendations . Nice apartment, very well located, two steps away from the pool. Just great!

Ron
Excellent, 4 years ago
Kathy has an amazing condo in Playa del Carmen. Everything you need is there. The pool is lovely and so is the beach. In only a couple of minutes you are at the great calle no 5 were you find great restaurants and shops. We stayed at her condo with my wife and 2 kids age 7 and 10. They loved the place, the pool and the beach. The garden directly at the pool gives you some extra privacy. The communication with Kathy was perfect. We definetly recommand this place.
Host Response
We can't thank you enough for your fabulous review! The location, pool, private beach, and gardens are truly what makes this condo so special. Ron, we hope you and your family make this an annual tradition. Warm regards.

Sandrine
Excellent, 4 years ago
Kathy's place is in a great location, access to the pool and beach is direct. The apartment is very airy and well decorated. I highly recommend the apartment and the services offered by the residence. The staff is welcoming and the service perfect.

Sarah
Excellent, 4 years ago
Kathy was a wonderful host! The place was exactly as described - maybe better! And Kathy was wonderful to communicate with and very helpful. The staff on the property was also all wonderful to deal with and very helpful. We enjoyed the area, lots of fun local restaurants to check out, and a great safe place to stay. The beach music is a bit loud during the day, but didn't bother us and always ended at a decent hour. The place was very clean and had lots of the things we needed for our stay (beach towels, kitchen items, etc.)

Jay
Excellent, 4 years ago
Nice place

Nealy
Excellent, 4 years ago
We had a great stay at The Elements! Kathy’s unit is nicely decorated and fully stocked with just about everything you could need. Great communication too. The location is great, walking distance to many restaurants and convenience stores for few groceries. The beach area was very close to our unit! The loungers, volleyball, and shade areas were perfect. Our kids loved the pool area and hot tub. Being on a ground-level unit near the pool was very convenient. Would definitely recommend! Thanks again!
Host Response
Nealy, thank you so much for your wonderful review. I am so happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed your stay at our lovely condo. Please come back anytime! All the best, Kathy Graham

Mara
Excellent, 4 years ago
If you want to live the experience of everything to be within walking distance, this great location is ideal. Beach, restaurants, convenience store, pharmacy.

Oscar
Excellent, 4 years ago
Extraordinary 5star+ apartment in the nicest and best located building in Playa del Carmen. Beautifully decorated and newly renovated, relax in the private beach, pool, jacuzzi or fully equipped gym. Very comfortable beds, and very quiet. The building is so well maintained, manicured; everyone is helpful and kind. Communication with Kathy was smooth, check in instructions could not be simpler. Fully recommend it- and we hope to be back soon.