Join us at Hix, the recently renovated casual indoor-outdoor oasis set on a terrace overlooking the serene water canals of Mayakoba.

Playa del Carmen●●○○

Hix Bar & Lobby Lounge

Name: Hix Bar & Lobby Lounge
Address: Carretera Federal Cancún Playa del Carmen Km 298, Playa del Carmen Quintana Roo 77710 Mexico, AW
Price range: Mid Range
Rating: 4.8

★★★★½4.8 out of 5 · 5 reviews

upscale

international

bar bites

Photo: © TripAdvisor contributor via TripAdvisor

Hix Bar & Lobby Lounge is a $$ international & bar bites upscale restaurant in Playa del Carmen rated 4.8/5 by 5 TripAdvisor reviewers; walk-ins welcome.

About

Hix Bar & Lobby Lounge sits inside a hotel along the highway between Cancún and Playa del Carmen, and it's surprisingly good for a lobby operation. The 4.8 rating from a small handful of reviews leans hard on perfect service and atmosphere scores — those 5.0 subratings suggest the staff knows how to run a proper bar program. Food and value both clock in at 4.5, which is solid for mid-range pricing in a resort corridor where captive-audience menus often coast. The atmosphere rating tells you it's a real space, not an afterthought with a couple of stools. Lobby lounges in this stretch tend to pull double duty — pre-dinner cocktails for guests, plus walk-ins who know the spot. If you're staying nearby or killing time before a dinner reservation in Playa, it's a capable option. Just don't expect a neighborhood vibe; this is polished hotel hospitality, done well.

At a glance

Area: Playa del Carmen
Vibe: upscale
Price: ●●○○
Reservation required: –
Kid friendly: –
Cuisine: international
bar bites
Dietary options: —

Make a day of it

Tours & things to do nearby

Kay Tours Mexico

Kay Tours Mexico runs out of a coworking space in downtown Playa del Carmen, a block from the main drag. The 5-star rating across 2,000+ reviews suggests they've figured out the logistics that usually make group cultural tours a gamble — timing, guide quality, van comfort, the works. These are mixed indoor-outdoor experiences, typically full-day itineraries that pull from the Riviera Maya's deeper roster: cenotes, ruins, local workshops, places that require coordination to access well. The six-hour format gives them room to layer stops without the assembly-line rush of cruise excursions. Intensity sits at a 2, so expect some walking and stairs but nothing that requires prior conditioning. Pricing around $100 puts it in the mid-range for the area, which usually means smaller groups and English-speaking guides who actually answer questions. Direct booking keeps things straightforward — no third-party markup, and you're dealing with the operator if plans shift.

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Co.Cos Culinary School

Co.Cos Culinary School runs cooking classes a few blocks in from Fifth Avenue in Playa del Carmen. The three-hour format is straightforward: you learn to make a handful of traditional Mexican dishes — usually things like salsas, tortillas, and mole — then sit down and eat what you cooked. The 5/5 rating across 526 reviews suggests the instruction is clear and the portions are generous enough that you leave full. Classes are indoors, which matters in midday heat, and the intensity is low — this is demonstration and participation, not a technical bootcamp. The $85 price includes ingredients and the meal. You book directly through their site, and morning slots tend to fill faster than afternoon ones. If you want a break from beach days and prefer doing something with your hands over another guided tour, this works.

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Centro de experiencias Me Late Chocolate

Centro de experiencias Me Late Chocolate runs chocolate-making workshops on the highway between Playa del Carmen and Tulum. The 5/5 rating across seventeen reviews suggests they've figured out the format — small groups, hands-on, and you leave with bars you actually made. The experience walks you through the full process from cacao to finished product, which means roasting, grinding, and tempering your own batch. It's more workshop than tasting room, and that seems to be what people come for. The location isn't in a resort or downtown strip, so plan on a taxi or rental car. Sessions run a couple of hours, and they'll explain the regional cacao sourcing if you ask. Good for rainy days or if you've done enough cenotes.

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Source: TripAdvisor · view on TripAdvisor →

Photos by individual contributors as credited above.

Review summaries are AI-paraphrased from public traveler reviews.