A Recap of Price Uplifts in The Village
As I shared in your last buyer’s update, retail pricing for condos in The Village has already pushed higher than you paid…highlighting just how incredible this deal was.
The same condos RETA members like you could buy from $258,600 now start at $351,961— an uplift of $93,361.
Premium and bigger condos have seen even bigger uplifts.
A three-bed condo available to RETA members from $398,600 are now listed from $544,608 …an uplift of $146,008.
The price per square foot was also incredible. RETA members were able to purchase in The Village from an unbelievable $255 per square foot.
In downtown Playa del Carmen prices of $500 and $600 per square foot are becoming the norm. Not like for like, but I wanted to highlight just how quickly prices are rising.
With its high-end amenities and proximity to one of the best beaches in Playa del Carmen and the booming, cosmopolitan city of Playa del Carmen, The Village was an outrageously good deal.
Latest from the Construction Site
With work in Building 3 and 4 nearly complete, the developer is deploying all available resources to Building 5 (pictured above). It’s expected that the first deliveries in Building 5 will take place in summer 2025.
Deliveries of the first condos in Building 5 are expected to begin in Summer 2025.
The construction team is engaged in the masonry work and installing partition walls. The team expects to move onto the finishes in Spring 2025.
A member of the team was on site this week and was impressed by the condos. Here’s a few photos of a condo in Building 3 to give you an idea.
The developer made a few changes from the previous phases of The Village and refined their vision. For example, condos in Buildings 3, 4, and 5 were given higher ceilings to provide extra space and an airy feel.
The comfortable bedrooms at The Village will allow you to enjoy a restful night’s sleep within the tranquil surroundings of Corasol.
Things to do in Playa del Carmen
The Gathering XI, the annual meetup for RETA Lifetime members, took place from February 20 to February 22, in Playa del Carmen.
Whether you attended The Gathering and took an extended vacation to enjoy Playa or you are thinking about scheduling a trip at some point in the future, here are some things to check out the next time you’re in the Riviera Maya.
Visit the Stunning Island of Cozumel
Cozumel is a major cruise ship destination, but the vibe is relaxed and residential.
The stunning island of Cozumel lies just a swift 45-minute ferry ride from Playa del Carmen.
Cozumel boasts stunning white-sand beaches and glistening turquoise waters. This island is a hugely popular destination for cruise ships. Last year, the Port of Cozumel welcomed 3.72 million passengers, making it the fourth-busiest cruise ship port in the world.
Cozumel is roughly three times the size of Manhattan and home to around 100,000 people. Most reside in San Miguel on the island’s western coast. This is where the ferries and cruise ships dock. Along the malecón and close by, you’ll find beach clubs serving cold drinks and fresh grilled fish that you can enjoy while sitting with your feet in the sand.
Beyond San Miguel’s souvenir shops and the crowds from the cruise ships, Cozumel is refreshingly untamed. Green sea turtles nest on empty beaches and iguanas bask under the tropical sun.
Cozumel is famous for being one of the world’s top diving destinations. The crystal-clear waters off the quiet eastern shores offer spectacular snorkeling opportunities, with eagle rays, sea turtles, and tropical fish abundant in the pristine coral reefs.
On the western side of Cozumel, known as the wild side, the seafloor plunges dramatically. The shallow coral gardens quickly give way to the deep blue Caribbean, where the Mesoamerican Reef (the world’s second largest barrier reef system) stretches like an underwater mountain range. It’s a stunning place to take a drive.
Something you should check out in Cozumel is the ancient Mayan ruins of San Gevasio. Shrouded in tropical forest at the center of the island, the site was a sacred sanctuary dedicated to Ixchel, the Maya goddess of fertility and midwifery. Women would come here from across the Yucatán to make offerings at her shrine. It’s a peaceful place to walk around, and you’ll see plenty of local flora and fauna.
Cozumel bee sanctuary is just a little way further down the road. These stingless bees make incredible honey. It’s not as sweet as processed honey. Mayan warriors would mix it with the local chocolate for energy before hunts and battles.
The ferry to Cozumel leaves from the Playa del Carmen Maritime Terminal, at the east end of Constituyentes Avenue, where it meets the beach. It’s right off 5th Avenue between 1st Street North and the beach. You can’t miss it.
Take a Trip to Dos Ojos Cenotes
Cenote Dos Ojos in Quintana Roo, Mexico. People swimming and snorkeling in clear blue water. This cenote is located close to Tulum in Yucatan peninsula, Mexico.
The spectacular Dos Ojos cenote system is just 15 minutes north of Playa del Carmen and well worth the trip. Dos Ojos means two eyes…the circular pools of the two cenotes look like a pair of blue eyes peering up from the jungle floor.
Dos Ojos has a special place in both natural and human history. The caves form part of a massive 52-mile underwater system that has helped scientists understand the region’s Ice Age climate. Film crews have taken notice too—you might recognize these caves from the BBC’s Planet Earth or the IMAX film Journey into Amazing Caves.
To get there take Highway 307 toward Tulum or get a colectivo (a kind of minibus/taxi hybrid that runs an established route) van from Playa and ask to get dropped off at the entrance. The cenotes open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the entrance fee gives you access to both “eyes” and their connecting cave system.
The east eye is perfect for snorkeling. A narrow limestone passage opens into a darkened chamber where hundreds of tiny bats roost in the ceiling’s crevices.
In the west eye of Dos Ojos you’ll see ancient stalactites dangling down below the water’s surface. You can see down to depths of 30 feet or so as you drift past the million-year-old limestone formations in the pristine conditions.
It’s best to bring water and snacks, but there’s a small restaurant on site if you forget. The best time to visit is right when they open at 8 a.m.—you’ll have the magical morning light and maybe even the cenotes all to yourself. Don’t worry about bringing gear—you can rent everything you need on site, and there are changing facilities and lockers available.
Explore Xcaret: The Region’s Top Attraction
Xcaret is an incredible place to interact with dolphins and the Riviera Maya’s top attraction.
Originally a sacred Maya trading port, Xcaret is the Riviera Maya’s premier attraction and draws around 1.2 million visitors each year. Ancient ruins dot the grounds, and each evening a spectacular show brings Maya culture to life through traditional dance and ritual performances.
Visitors can float through crystal-clear underground rivers, snorkel in natural pools, and see tropical fish in the marine aquarium. At Xcaret’s petting zoo, visitors can get up close with native Mexican wildlife in an educational setting. The area contains deer, colorful macaws and parrots, iguanas, and coatis (ring-tailed members of the raccoon family). The exhibit also includes a butterfly pavilion where guests can walk among free-flying tropical butterflies native to the Yucatan peninsula.
At Xcaret, bottlenose dolphins swim in large, carefully maintained lagoons under the supervision of marine biologists and veterinarians who monitor their health, behavior, and diet. Visitors can enjoy watching the dolphins and even swim alongside them. The dedicated trainers share insights about dolphin behavior and conservation.
Xcaret is just 15 minutes south of Playa del Carmen and easily accessible. The most economical way to get there is to catch a Tulum-bound colectivo from the main station on Calle 2 Norte in Playa—just tell the driver “Xcaret” and they’ll drop you at the highway entrance, followed by a short walk to the park gates.
For a direct service, Xcaret runs its own air-conditioned buses from 5th Avenue, with departures throughout the morning. Taxis offer fixed rates to the park, and if you’re driving, there’s free parking at the main entrance—just follow the well-marked signs south on Highway 307.
Swim With Turtles at Akumal
In addition to the chance to swim with dolphins and turtles, Akumal has a stunning beach, and plenty of great restaurants and bars.
Just 30 minutes south of Playa del Carmen, Akumal offers one of the most accessible turtle-watching experiences in the Caribbean.
Five separate highway exits lead into Akumal, a family friendly resort with a stunning stretch of calm shallow beaches, dive sites, restaurants and bars. It’s also one of the region’s most popular starting points for sport fishing and you’ll see colorful boats with heavy-duty fishing rods lined up along the beach.
To get to Akumal, you can take a colectivo (shared van) from Playa’s main highway or grab a taxi. Your $7 entry fee gets you a wristband access to a storage locker, and the opportunity to book a snorkeling trip out to the protected area just meters from the beach. It’s here that you can swim with the sea turtles who glide through the crystal-clear shallows, grazing on seagrass.
The best time to go is early morning before the crowds arrive and to ensure the turtles aren’t disturbed, you must book a tour out with a guide to enter these protected areas.
Beyond its famous turtles, you’ll find expensive resorts (a night at Hotel Esencia is listed online for more than $1,700 per night), beachfront dining, boutique shopping, and a secluded cenote near the shore.
Restaurant prices close to the beach are expensive, but you can find an excellent restaurant with great prices close to the entrance gate. Imelda’s Ecocina Akumal serves authentic Mexican dishes in a relaxed setting. Ask one of the helpful guides and they’ll point you in the right direction.
Riviera Maya Breaks Occupancy Record
Strong hotel occupancy in the Riviera Maya is excellent news for The Village owners looking to use their condo to generate rental income.
The Riviera Maya capped off 2024 with a remarkable achievement—a record-breaking 95.3% hotel occupancy rate during the vacation season, according to recent data from the Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council. The average occupancy rate for 2024 was 75.4%.
With visitors now able to arrive via both Cancun and Tulum International Airports, it’s never been easier to visit the Riviera Maya. No wonder it’s becoming a favorite warm-weather escape for folks looking to trade gray skies and snow for pristine Caribbean beaches and balmy temperatures.
These near-capacity numbers during the continue a multi-year trend of outstanding tourism performance along Mexico’s Caribbean coast.
Congratulations again on getting positioned early in this incredible market! With consistently high occupancy rates, particularly during peak seasons, your high-end condo at The Village is going to be in high demand.
That’s all from me for now. I’ll write again soon with another update.
Yours sincerely
Viviana
