We'd stayed at El Acuario two years ago and went back because we enjoyed that visit. The manager, Diane, ran the place smoothly. But the atmosphere was different this time. Diane had left, apparently suddenly, and the hotel was apparently undergoing an ownership change. The amiable young man who manned the front desk spoke virtually no English. The only person on the staff who did, Minerva, introduced herself as the temporary manager. We again enjoyed our stay, with the beautiful beach only a 5-block walk away, and the lovely interior hotel courtyard, with its small pool, was a nice alternative when we decided to stay home. But after we left, my wife discovered that she had lost her her cell phone. Thinking she may had left it at the hotel, I tried calling, but could only speak to the non-
English-speaking desk clerk. So I tried email. Three emails over three days, but no response to any of them. We felt it was rude, and still don't know if the cell phone is there. Nonetheless, we'd still recommend El Acuario as a pleasant, inexpensive place to enjoy a Playa del Carmen vacation.